fish compatibly options

Question
I currently have a 30 gal tank with 1 5" weather loach, 2 blue gourami and 1 pleco (less then an inch) I also have plant wise have some reopens, java moss and 1 anubias nana. I'm finding hard time finding any compatibly for the fish I have other then getting another of the same... and petstores are 0 help as they will literally try to sell you anything (was honestly told that lucky bamboo can live completely under water...) fish I've been eyeing include
clown loach
albino cory cat fish
thread fin rainbow fish
platinum angel fish
pearl gourami

Are any of these acceptable? I want a happy tank. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you for your time sincerely Jesse Mertelle

Answer
Hi Jesse

The only fish out of the ones you named that will work is the Albino Cory Cats. 2 Blue Gouramis are much too aggressive for most of the other fish you named. They are also too aggressive for each other. If you haven't already, you will soon see them fighting. It's best to only have one Gourami in a tank. I keep Gouramis with similar sized South American Cichlids.


clown loach - need to be in groups of 3 or more and get too large for a 30 gallon

albino cory cat fish - will be fine but you need to get 2

thread fin rainbow fish - way too docile for a community tank. They do best in a tank of their own. They are also slow eaters and will likely not get any food especially with 2 Gouramis in the tank

platinum angel fish - will work well with Gouramis as long as they are close to the same size, but need to be in groups of 3 or more and will get too large for a 30 gallon

pearl gourami - not a good idea to add more Gouramis to the tank, the weakest among them will end up dead

Suggestions - A school of 3 - 5 Tiger Barbs, Black Skirt Tetras or possibly a couple of mild mannered Cichlids such as the Ram Cichlid, Keyhole Cichlid, Kribensis Cichlid. Another possibility is a few Giant Danios.

Hope this helps, good luck!

Richard