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I inherited a 55 gallon tank recently and it came with a very large female Opaline Gourami. She is 5 inches in length. The problem is that I've always really wanted a tetra tank, and I'm afraid she might eat most tetras. Is ths true?
I have a seperate 2 or 3 gallon tank, (I'm not sure) might she be happy there by herself? I figure it is too small. I also have a 10 gallon tank with a betta and two mollys. Could she go in there with a couple of corys?
If it is absolutly best that I keep her in the big tank, then what other large-ish fish might go well with her? I've never kept any like this, mostly just the usual beginner small stuff. It might be nice to break into the world of medium sized fishes.
I know I would like 2-3 Clowl Loaches. I would love to see them grow to full size
What other Gouramis or other middle sized fishes might you guys reccomend, if that be the case?

Gouramis won't eat small fish. Maybe fry but they aren't very carnivorous or agressive except to other labyrinth fish(gouramis, bettas, paradise fish...). My blue gourami would prefer to nibble algae and plants to neons. He's at least 5" probably a little more and I love watching him cruise the 55g. Gouramis are slow swimmers but fairly active and mine have gotten along with most fish so I would leave her in the 55g. A 10g is pushing it and anything under would definitely not work. A 30g or more would probably be the best size tank. I'd worry more about getting medium sized fish that are too agressive for your gourami not the other way around. I have a gourami in with threadfin rainbows some of which are only an inch long. You can do any type of schooling fish although watch for fin nippers that might go after your gouramis feelers. Some of the more peaceful small-medium cichlids might work. If you want larger fish there are large tetras and rainbowfish that would get along great with the gourami. Almost all bottom feeders, loaches, cory, catfish... If you plan to raise clown loaches to full size your going to need a MUCH bigger tank than a 55g and they prefer a group of 6. Think double the 55g and then plus some.

Ah! Thanks for all the good advice! I may go with some smaller non-clown loaches then. It is too bad they seem to be so common in pet stores. I bet most people don't think anything about buying 4 for their 20 gal :/
I am glad to hear all the information about my little Gourami. It will be good to have her as a sort of "centerpiece" in a tank of littler guys.
But she seems lonley and sad. She only ever stays in one little corner. Granted, there are no other fish in the tank at this time. Should I get her a tankmate? Some kind of nice food? Any suggestions on how to cheer her up?
Thanks

They like planted tanks and decorations like driftwood or caves to swim around. Mine spends alot of his time in the corner most heavily planted, sitting in the cave, or swimming about the back of the tank. He does come up to the front and swim in the open space a few times a day. Being somewhat agressive toward each other you probably don't want to get another gourami. When you get some other fish in there the gourami might feel a bit safer and come out. I feed my fish a variety of food including wardley flakes, new life spectrum pellets, bloodworms, tubifex worms, and shrimp pellets. Pecan(my only named fish is the gourami) mostly waits underneath the faster, smaller fish and cleans up the pieces that they miss. He doesn't seem to have a favorite food.

Cool, thanks a whole lot.
I just want to have the happiest little fishies possible.
And don't worry, this will be a heavily planted tank, with MANY rocks

she may eat the neons, but i wouldn't risk it. try getting a 20 gallon for your neon's or tetra tank.

Hi Yooki,
I think your gourami will be just fine. If you want you could get her a boy friend...males are identifieable by a very long pointy dorsal fin. Take a picture of yours with you to compare if you need to. She would probably appreciate the company, but it is not necessary.
For loaches, there are many types of loaches you could put in a 55g, may I mention some of my favorites?
Polka Dot Loach/Angelicus Botia (Botia sp. Myanmar)- grows to about 4 inches, very peaceful, loves friends, eats snails, and easy to care for.
YoYo Loach (Botia Lohachata)- Grows to about 5 inches, very friendly with others of its kind, peaceful, eats snails as well (good if you have a snail overpopulation at any time), and also very easy to care for.
Queen Loach (Botia Dario)- this is my absolute favorite loach. They are sociable, ultra peaceful, very friendly at the front glass with their people!, and will eat from your hand. They also have quite a striking coloration. Lovely fish, grows to about 5-6 inches, and loves to be in a group.
Heres some pics of the above fish:
Yoyo Loach/Botia

Queen Loach/Botia

Polka Dot Botia/Loach (this one is my particular fish)

All of these fish, including your gourami will be fine with tetras of any kind.
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Gouramis personalitys differ- but honestly i SERIOUS DOUBT that your gourami will eat neons. If your worried buy full grown or jumbo neons. Ive had calm gouramis that wouldnt even eat a fry, and others that were nasty,but wouldnt even afterthe fry were a few days old- which is much smaller than a neon.
Gouramis like lots of plants, and hiding places- an easy cheap cave would be a clean 6 in terra cot pot sat in the tank.
If you want to add more gouramis- get 1m/1 f- They seem to do better in trios, or by themselves - if you add more make sure each has its own hiding spot- and stick to the same color- opalines look like blues that have been whitewashed.

I will lay down money that if I bought the whole tank of blues or opalines at the lfs and put them with neons not a fish would dissapear due to being eaten. There's a slight chance you'd get one agressive enough to pick on the neons but my snails would be the ones cleaning up any bodies not the gourami. My opalines did eat fry but Pecan doesn't even eat oto fry and they look like tiny specks of pellet food. I'm not saying that's normal. Most gouramis would work great for controlling livebearer populations. Gouramis have rather small mouths for their size and I'm not even sure a full grown neon would go down in one bite. My threadfins look like they'd barely fit and they are much more streamlined than a neon. I don't suggest trying another gourami unless your lfs will take one back and you have time to watch them. Gouramis are very personality dependant and you could end up with an injured fish or 1 more than you have room for if they can't share the tank. It is possible though to keep several in a tank. Pecan refuses to share his tank and my other large tank is stocked so for now I only have 1 gourami. I'd love to have opalines again though.

It would probably take a very large gourami to eat neons. I do use a thick lipped gourami in my guppy tank to keep the population in control.

Thank you everyone, I am very glad to here that moving the poor girl around will not be neccesary.
And especially thankes to Sneaky_Pete, for pointing out the YoYo Loach. I really really want some of those now! :^) I hope I can find some in my area!