GSD
Fish Gatherer
i would love a dwarf gourami but i dont know anything about them does neone know temprements feeding size etc anythin really ta for any replies!!!!lolDwarf gourami????????
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i would love a dwarf gourami but i dont know anything about them does neone know temprements feeding size etc anythin really ta for any replies!!!!lolBefore I answer your questions I have a couple of my own. What size tank is he going into and what are the tankmates. Also is it a new tank or one that has stablized?
BTW, welcome to the forum.
BTW, welcome to the forum.
GSD
Fish Gatherer
18 gallon tank aint got ne other fish its a brand new tank but had been running for 3 weeks
GSD
Fish Gatherer
but ive got another smaller new one as well
In a new tank you wont be getting any yet - read through the link in my signature. Has it just been running 3 weeks or have you been adding ammonia/fish food to cycle it? Have you been testing the water etc?
Now to answer your question...
Colisa lalia (dwarf gourami) comes in several color morphs including the neon and powder blue and wild type.
They grow to 2" inches, 2.5" max. They would be fine in an 18 gallon but are territorial so you shouldn't get more than one male for the time being (once you have gained some more experience, you may manage another but leave it for now). Females are difficult to find in most LFSs - if you can get them, a male and 2 females would work well.
They can live to 7 years though 3-4 years is more likely.
Males are territorial and can be aggressive to their own kind and will chase any females. They won't usualy bother other fish though - not even other species of gourami.
A temperature of around 77 deg. F is good. They like higher temperatures but you need a good balance if you want a community and I have found 77-78 to work well.
They like a slightly acidic pH and soft water but will adapt to pretty much any pH/hardness (within reason) provided it remains stable.
They'll eat flakes, pellets, freeze-dried, live, frozen, some vegetables, fresh foods etc. They aren't picky but a good healthy flake and varied diet, supplemented with frozen or live blood worms and brine shrimp is ideal. They'll appreciate the occasional shelled pea or cucumber and daphnia is good for them too.
They do best in planted tanks with lots of hiding places to establish a territory and feel comfortable - in particular, high-growing and floating plants near the surface are much appreciated as they are primarily a surface-dwelling fish.
Like bettas and many other gouramies, they breathe atmospheric air and only take limmited oxygen from the water. If kept under water without access to air, they would drown. Similarly, a gourami could (theoreticaly) live it's whole life outside water if kept wet - not to say that it is a good idea to try this or that the poor fish would survive! This is because it has a labyrinth organ in its head that functions somewhat like a lung does in humans.
They are jumpers so keep a tight-fitting lid on your tank at all times. This will also serve to keep the temp of the air warm so they don't get chilled when they breathe from the surface.
They are bubblenest breeders like most other gouramies. The male blows a nest of bubbles at the water's surface and then coaxes the female under it where they embrace and he firtilizes the eggs she releases. He then collects them and deposits them in the nest and proceeds to guard it - the female plays no part in this and is chased away. The eggs hatch soon and the fry become free swimming and too fast for the male within a couple of days. He should then be removed and the fry have to be fed on very small foods like infusoria, microworms or baby brine shrimp until they are old enough to be weaned onto commercial flake.
What you should know, however, is that dwarf gouramies are commercialy mass-produced with little care taken to avoid in-breeding or encourage good health. As such, they have rather weak immune systems which leaves them susceptible to disease. If you want to buy these, make sure you get them from a reputable source as they can often carry diseases.
They won't do well in unstable conditions which is why a cycled, stable environment is essential. If you have never kept fish before or don't know about cycling, make sure you research that before doing anything else. Otherwise, the fish will die.
Good luck Gouramies are the best!
Now to answer your question...
Colisa lalia (dwarf gourami) comes in several color morphs including the neon and powder blue and wild type.
They grow to 2" inches, 2.5" max. They would be fine in an 18 gallon but are territorial so you shouldn't get more than one male for the time being (once you have gained some more experience, you may manage another but leave it for now). Females are difficult to find in most LFSs - if you can get them, a male and 2 females would work well.
They can live to 7 years though 3-4 years is more likely.
Males are territorial and can be aggressive to their own kind and will chase any females. They won't usualy bother other fish though - not even other species of gourami.
A temperature of around 77 deg. F is good. They like higher temperatures but you need a good balance if you want a community and I have found 77-78 to work well.
They like a slightly acidic pH and soft water but will adapt to pretty much any pH/hardness (within reason) provided it remains stable.
They'll eat flakes, pellets, freeze-dried, live, frozen, some vegetables, fresh foods etc. They aren't picky but a good healthy flake and varied diet, supplemented with frozen or live blood worms and brine shrimp is ideal. They'll appreciate the occasional shelled pea or cucumber and daphnia is good for them too.
They do best in planted tanks with lots of hiding places to establish a territory and feel comfortable - in particular, high-growing and floating plants near the surface are much appreciated as they are primarily a surface-dwelling fish.
Like bettas and many other gouramies, they breathe atmospheric air and only take limmited oxygen from the water. If kept under water without access to air, they would drown. Similarly, a gourami could (theoreticaly) live it's whole life outside water if kept wet - not to say that it is a good idea to try this or that the poor fish would survive! This is because it has a labyrinth organ in its head that functions somewhat like a lung does in humans.
They are jumpers so keep a tight-fitting lid on your tank at all times. This will also serve to keep the temp of the air warm so they don't get chilled when they breathe from the surface.
They are bubblenest breeders like most other gouramies. The male blows a nest of bubbles at the water's surface and then coaxes the female under it where they embrace and he firtilizes the eggs she releases. He then collects them and deposits them in the nest and proceeds to guard it - the female plays no part in this and is chased away. The eggs hatch soon and the fry become free swimming and too fast for the male within a couple of days. He should then be removed and the fry have to be fed on very small foods like infusoria, microworms or baby brine shrimp until they are old enough to be weaned onto commercial flake.
What you should know, however, is that dwarf gouramies are commercialy mass-produced with little care taken to avoid in-breeding or encourage good health. As such, they have rather weak immune systems which leaves them susceptible to disease. If you want to buy these, make sure you get them from a reputable source as they can often carry diseases.
They won't do well in unstable conditions which is why a cycled, stable environment is essential. If you have never kept fish before or don't know about cycling, make sure you research that before doing anything else. Otherwise, the fish will die.
Good luck
Gouramies are the best!Similar threads
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