# Dwarf Gourami and Betta



## pillar (Mar 31, 2009)

Hello,

I am setting up a 20 gal community tank with tetras, gouramis and corys. I was hoping to add a Betta too but I have read conflicting information about their compatibility with gouramis.

I am thinking about putting my current betta, Jovi in there and getting a second betta after Jovi moves out. This way I can be confident that Jovi will not get hurt.

I would love to hear an opinion from a more experienced fishkeeper.

Thanks!


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

Gouramis are also fairly aggressive fish and would not house a betta and gourami together. Years ago I kept gourami in a semi-agressive 90 gallon, and they insisted upon picking a fight with every other single member of the tank before they eventually settled in. And by settled I mean they either had their fins handed to them, or they harassed the other fish because it was not as big/mean until it would cower under a rock and either never come out, or killed it. Gouramis, from my experience at least, must always have a clear pecking order in a tank. A betta and a gourami would never reach an 'agreement' so to say on who is the meaner, more dominant fish (the gourami is faster than the betta, and the betta just isn't going to like the gourami's presence, period) and one of them would end up dead. Betting on the betta being the on dead unfortunately, since he will be the slower moving fish, although the gourami will probably have a few holes in him.


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## pillar (Mar 31, 2009)

That is a shame. What if I got two female gouramis?


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## whitedevil (Apr 24, 2009)

I had a dwarf flame and a dwarf blue in with my other late betta, in a 10g tank due to a home renovation that went on over the winter, they did fine in there and when I moved them back to the 26g they had no problems. I removed the betta due to him being lathergic back into his own 10 with a kuhli and he did ok for a few months I mean got his health back but he did eventually pass however he was jsut shy of 5 years old and never had a big tank till his last 2 years when I met my wife and took over the fish keeping. He had a 1 gallon bowl which isnt bad but I got the 26gbowfront with stand for free, I jumped, set it up but he died before the tank was ready for him.

In a 20g tank, id keep the betta for the big fish, lkeep him the biggest fish in there and you really wont have a problem, well I didnt anyways. Its not the first betta ive kept in a community tank either.

Its personality not breed that make the fish


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## dignlfe (May 6, 2009)

Hello. New here. I have a dwarf gourami in with my crown tail also. Its only an 18 gallon tank and they live with some danios, mystery snails and two guppies. It was hit and miss for a while on the right combo.

I have a bubble wand which at first was concerned about. My filter is also on at a reasonable pace. What has worked for me is this:

Live plants which float on the top. My Betta lays over them at times so he gets plenty of rest. What I find interesting is once "Shietu" got his swimming muscles, he plays in the bubbles and swims all over the tank. There are a lot of plants for him to run to when the gourami takes a swipe. (He is a crown tail and his fins look like blood worms!). 

I took him up in bowl sizes before the shock of a larger aquarium. The gourami can be a rump, but they do exist well...personality does seem to be the trick. 

He is the coolest fish, so far no diseases. I do add a bit of aquarium salt. 
What a character! He argues with my fish net AND the algie scraper. Go figure.


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