Gourami Compatability
- Thread starter Toggil
- Start date
I'll tell you from first hand experience that male gold gouramis are a handful. Mine is constantly chasing off the other fish in my tank, especially at feeding time. He hasn't actually injured any fish, but I'm sure it's stressful. I've heard that pearl and dwarf gouramis are mellower, but I haven't owned them so I can't say for sure.
I have a dwarf and a pearl in with guppies, and they are fine with them. The opaline in my 37g is also fine with platies, although she will lunge at the tetras from time to time. They are usually pretty peaceful except for with eachother. Dwarfs, moonlights, and pearls are more passive than blues/golds/three-spot/opalines and paradise fish.
My dwarf is male (all you can find except for Walmart), and the pearl turned out to be female. She has recently begun picking on the dwarf male, but I suspect they would be fine in a 55g tank. With most gouramis except for the dwarfs, the females are just as colorful so there's no reason to get multiple males.
Where do you live, b/c I cant find females anywhere. You could get a apir in a 55. The male will make a bubble nest if you provide him the right environment. he will guard the nest, but mostly just chases the other fish away from it. It is very cool to watch. If you got more than one male I would up the female ratio from 1:1 if possible. You could also get 2 males, each from a diff species. However, Pearls tend to like a group to be in. I have 3 dwarf males in a 120 and they have really divided up the territory. Two are making bubble nests in each corner while the third just hangs out. They don't pick on him but he has lost some of his color, poor little guy. Honey Gouramis tend to be more peaceful and stay small like the dwarfs. Maybe one of each of those would be okay, but I think a male and female dwarf would keep you entertained. If the store would let you, get 2 females. that way the male doesnt harass the one to death. They can be similar to Bettas in that way.
I live in upstate NY, the store will let you buy any combination, they have a price for males a price for females and a discounted price if you buy a pair. The ones I was looking at are labeled as neon dwarf coral gouramis. They look pretty cool and I'll probably pick up a pair later this week, does anyone have any experience with these guys or have any info I should know before I get them?
