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I was planning a new community tank. As of now it will include around 8 zebra danios, 2 dwarf gouramis, a small pleco, and an apple snail. If I add some shrimp into the mix will they be okay or will they become lunch?

Yes they will be lunch, but if you give them good cover and maybe some java moss to hide in, they will make it a long time. I had a dwarf gourami, cories and small tetras and ghost shrimp. The shrimp bred and lived in java moss. They were green not clear. Also, they are so delicate, they may just die after a month of being introduced to a new tank and be food anyways.

Hints: Don't put two dwarf gouramis together. Males will fight, or harass females, and oh look there are no females at the store only males. And I found that dwarf gouramis will feed from the bottom when the food gets down there so you may have trouble getting food to your pleco. I had that problem with my cories. (never had a pleco, my tanks are only 20G).

The 2 male gouramis are together now in a 26g and they don't seem to mind one another...they stick to their own sides of the tank. The occassionaly chase but they've never fought each other. Would it be them that would eat the shrimp or are they pretty much food for all tankmates?

How big will this tank be?

Chris

It's 46 gallon bowfront.

Gouramis are a hit or miss with shrimp. They may go after them but the dwarf gouramis or larger are less likely to go after them than the little sparkling, croaking, and honey gouramis. Make sure there are some hiding places especially for when they molt and I would try it with some cheap feeder ghost shrimp first. They will probably be fine but there's a chance they will end up as a gourami snack. The rest of the tankmates will not bother the shrimp.

I was planning on using ghost shrimp as "testers". It feels a bit heartless...but hey, I can't afford $10 snacks. I have those red sunset dwarf gouramis or whatever they're called...the red guys from petsmart. I think they'll be friendly...they seem to busy paying attention to where the other one is going to bother anyone else...the danios keep 'em dizzy too. Thanks for your replies!

My dwarf gourami does not bother ghost shrimp or wood shrimp.

I have never kept danios in that tank though.

I would buy a batch of ghost shrimp and try it.

Good luck.

Have fun Paige! A cheap little shrimp can be the most interesting thing. They do many neat tricks. Once in a while they even go for flakes on the surface if you are lucky.

My biggest score was buying a pregnant one. The babies born to my tank lived long, unlike ones that came from the store.