# New To Gourami Help



## LucidSong (Mar 21, 2013)

So. . . my boyfriend announced the other day that he wanted to get a fish tank for himself, MUAHHAHA I have converted him to the dark side, which is okay cause we have fish. Anyway He wants to get Gourami and I as a Betta and Angelfish Keeper don't really know much about them nor about their care. I have used the AqAdvisor.com calculator and Have come up with 2 options for him based on what else he wants in there and what the site said would fit. 
His two options are:
6 Dwarf Gourami 
5 Tiger Barbs
4 Corydoras 
OR
2 Blue Gourami
5 Tiger Barbs
4 Corydoras 
in a 20g Long tank it will be heated and have a filter and will eventually once established and he is comfortable with it be planted. 
My Questions are: 
What do you feed Gourami?
What kind of plants do they like?
and how often should he change the water? 
Is there anything else I should know to help him along in his new endeavor of keeping Gourami?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Okay, this will actually be easy for you!

Gourami's are betta's cousins, both are anataboids which means they both have labyrinth organs to breathe air!

Now with that said, Gourami's are extremely similar to Betta's, you can't keep two males together EXCEPT if you have an extremely planted tank that's above 30 gallons (tank size is my personal opinion, some will say larger too) but other wise they will all fight to the death, even male/female.

Gourami's are also carnivores like Betta's and will take any flake/pellet that is similar in content to Betta's. Of course benefiting more from frozen/live foods like all fish! They like any and all plants, same as Betta's they will like to rest at the surface too. And changing water after the tank is cycled is the same as any other tank, once a week at 25% will be sufficient.

Now about the stocking, I personally wouldn't go into Tiger Barbs with Gourami's. Gourami's have these long feelers much like a Betta's ventral but they can move them and Tiger Barbs are nippers and will nip your Gourami's feelers with doesn't feel good!! So if anything, some peaceful rasboras/tetras will work.

So you can do:
1 Dwarf Gourami (Blue Gourami's get too big)
8-10 School fish
5-6 Corydoras


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## LinkLover (Apr 3, 2012)

I just want to say, DON'T get the Tiger Barbs. They are beautiful fish, and very active and fun to watch, but they are very aggressive. We had a school of fifteen that killed each other off until there were only three left which we then rehomed. Nothing we did made them stop doing this. It's awful to watch them single out one of the group and pester it relentlessly until it dies. I have also had other people tell me they had the same experience, so I just wanted to put that out there to help you avoid an upsetting situation.


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## LucidSong (Mar 21, 2013)

Hmm I didn't know that about the barbs. Nice to know. 

Lilnaugrim: That makes things MUCH easier. However how do you tell them apart?

I work in the pets Dept. in the Wal-Mart both my boyfriend and I work at and generally couldn't tell you what we've got stocked. I have noticed they aren't too aggressive with one another (the African Cichlids are though, but not the Oscars, strange I'm sure.) if that helps out any. 

LinkLover: Oh my gosh. Yeah I'll for sure let him know that. He was looking at Oscars before I told him they get over a foot long and start eating other fish and require massive tanks eventually. He promptly said "Well those are out."


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Don't dwarf gouramis have problems with disease? I think it's iridovirus. 

Have you looked at honey gourami? They seem quite peaceful and due to their smaller size, you could fit a pair or small group in a 20 gallon long. 

I think honey gourami, a group of corydoras and a peaceful species of tetra or rasbora would be ideal if you have water that is on the softer side. I have never been fond of barbs and tiger barbs do have quite a bad reputation. 

Danios are another species you could look at, as I believe they inhabit a similar environment to gourami in the wild.


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## LucidSong (Mar 21, 2013)

The only Gourami's we have here that I would be willing to let him purchase would be Blue, Dwarf, and Pink Kissing. Kissing are out as they get too big.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Oh okay. Didn't know you couldn't get honey gourami as they are quite popular here. 

I agree kissing would get too big and blue gourami get too big as well. I had a pair of gold gourami I was looking after for my brother and they got quite big and very nasty towards each other. 

I think you would have to go with dwarf gourami but I would definitely check over any fish carefully before purchasing.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Do you have access to Pearl Gourami? They get to 4 inches but one of the more peaceful gourami's there are.

Yes Dwarf gourami's have a disease all their own but it's not infectious to other fish which is good so it's a chance either way. And you really won't be able to tell from the appearance of the fish. of course try to get the most healthy looking fish there but that goes for all fish ^_^

And what did you mean "How can you tell them apart?" Do you mean each species of gourami or sexing them or something?


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I would not keep pearls in a 20 long. It's only a 12 inch tall tank - subtract substrate and the air gap at the top and you're looking at 9 inches of swimmable height. A full grown pearl will be 5 inches tall with feelers extended. Aside from that they are a group oriented fish that enjoy the company of their own kind. Having kept them both singly and in a school, I do not recommend keeping just one, and a 20 long is unquestionably too small for more than 1.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

jaysee said:


> I would not keep pearls in a 20 long. It's only a 12 inch tall tank - subtract substrate and the air gap at the top and you're looking at 9 inches of swimmable height. A full grown pearl will be 5 inches tall with feelers extended. Aside from that they are a group oriented fish that enjoy the company of their own kind. Having kept them both singly and in a school, I do not recommend keeping just one, and a 20 long is unquestionably too small for more than 1.


I rescind my comment then! I had researched them a bit before but I didn't know they liked their own kind! Great to know, thanks jaysee


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## LucidSong (Mar 21, 2013)

The only ones we have access to here that I know of are the Dwarf, Blues, Kissing, and Golds. But the Golds are at the ever aweful PetLand here next to the Wal-Mart we work at. I've had the "Fish Expert" tell me that the yellow water in their betta display had just been changed. So I don't shop there unless I REALLY have to.

Lilnaugrim: How do you sex them? I'm pretty good at telling them a part.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Sexing them is especially hard since most of the females have had hormones injected to change over to males because males sell better. But mostly like any other fish; females are a very dull bluish color (for the Dwarf's mostly, not sure about other species), anal fin is rounded not pointed, stuff like that. But it's extremely rare to find a female in the Dwarf species and again I'm not certain about the other species of Gourami since I hadn't looked that far.

But like most other species it's best to have a ratio of 1:2 M:F if not more females because like Betta's, they will pick on each other and hurt each other. So I'd really just suggest have one of the Gourami's, that leaves more space for schoolers anyway which will make them happy as well.


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## LucidSong (Mar 21, 2013)

Could you put in something like Mollies or Platys?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Both yes but Mollies usually get up to about 5 inches so keep that in mind, they also like salt in their water which most other freshwater fish can't tolerate and while they'll be fine in regular freshwater, it just won't be optimal for them. Platy's you can definitely put in and the fry would probably just be snacks for your Gourami lol


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