Dwarf Gouramis:

[Karen_2656]

I'm going for a soft water 65 gallon tank. How many dwarf gouramis would fit in the tank ? I don't want to ask my LFS as they will just sell me millions of gouramis. Does anyone know??


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[Demeter32]

I'd have a harem setting, but it is apparently quite hard to get female dwarfs. It's tricky, too few in a group then the dominant fish will attack the others, too many and you stress the fish. 65gal is a good size but I do not have a good answer for you. This is just my guess based on their behaviors being similar to bettas.

Shoot for an odd number, something like 7 sounds like a good number.

Side note: might want to think about the honey gourami, a species that, IMO, is much better suited to living in groups. Their looks and size are quite similar to the average dwarf gourami.

 

[Byron]

This is a species of gourami best in a sexed pair. A male and two or three females would also work. More than one male (with females definitely, never males alone) might work, you have the tank space, but this is not always the case.

The other serious issue with dwarf gourami is the chance of iridovirus, a disease that cannot be cured, and is still a threat in gourami from the Far East especially, which is likely where most store gourami come from. If you know a local breeder, that is a safe option, or should be.

EDIT. Demeter posted simultaneously, and we are saying much the same thing.

 

[Karen_2656]

This is a species of gourami best in a sexed pair. A male and two or three females would also work. More than one male (with females definitely, never males alone) might work, you have the tank space, but this is not always the case.

The other serious issue with dwarf gourami is the chance of iridovirus, a disease that cannot be cured, and is still a threat in gourami from the Far East especially, which is likely where most store gourami come from. If you know a local breeder, that is a safe option, or should be.

EDIT. Demeter posted simultaneously, and we are saying much the same thing.

Thanks. I don't want to risk the disease. Is there any species of gourami that work well together??


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[Karen_2656]

I'd have a harem setting, but it is apparently quite hard to get female dwarfs. It's tricky, too few in a group then the dominant fish will attack the others, too many and you stress the fish. 65gal is a good size but I do not have a good answer for you. This is just my guess based on their behaviors being similar to bettas.

Shoot for an odd number, something like 7 sounds like a good number.

Side note: might want to think about the honey gourami, a species that, IMO, is much better suited to living in groups. Their looks and size are quite similar to the average dwarf gourami.

Thanks. Is there any species of gourami that work well together?? Also any that go in a big bunch?


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[Byron]

The Honey Gourami is ideally suited; it is about the same size, and a group of male/female would work well, or should. However, with a 65 gallon tank, you have the space for one of the most beautiful gourami, the Pearl (Trichopodus leerii). I am seriously thinking of getting a group of these again (it's been many years) when I have a tank available. They are very peaceful (for gourami), though like all species the males are territorial. You could have a pair, or a trio (1 male, 2 female), or with sufficient "stuff" in the tank and good floating plants, I would be tempted to do a small group of 2 males and 4 females; a lovely centerpiece.

Like all gourami of course, you need very sedate (non-active) tankmates, like most of the rasbora, and/or some tetra species. Nothing that fin nips either.

 

[Karen_2656]

The Honey Gourami is ideally suited; it is about the same size, and a group of male/female would work well, or should. However, with a 65 gallon tank, you have the space for one of the most beautiful gourami, the Pearl (Trichopodus leerii). I am seriously thinking of getting a group of these again (it's been many years) when I have a tank available. They are very peaceful (for gourami), though like all species the males are territorial. You could have a pair, or a trio (1 male, 2 female), or with sufficient "stuff" in the tank and good floating plants, I would be tempted to do a small group of 2 males and 4 females; a lovely centerpiece.

Like all gourami of course, you need very sedate (non-active) tankmates, like most of the rasbora, and/or some tetra species. Nothing that fin nips either.

Sounds great. Pearls are a favourite of mine. I'm just going to go with a catfish, some
corys and the pearls. Thanks a lot!



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[Byron]

Sounds great. Pearls are a favourite of mine. I'm just going to go with a catfish, some
corys and the pearls. Thanks a lot!



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Cories would be fine with a group of Pearls.

 

[Karen_2656]

Cories would be fine with a group of Pearls.

Any idea of the Cory species?

 

[Byron]

Any idea of the Cory species?

There are currently 161 valid species described, and dozens more discovered but not yet described/names having a "C" number for identification. With very few exceptions, all are identical in behaviours, care, etc. So it is really up to you. If your water is on the soft side, then the whole range is possible because the vast majority are wild caught. The few that are being commercially raised include Corydoras aeneus, C. paleatus, C. sterbai, C. panda, and probably a couple others. Nice as they are, I would avoid C. panda here, as this is one exception to the group in that it likes cooler and flowing water. Any of the others would be fine with gourami. Must have a sand substrate though. And some chunks of wood are appreciated. You could lay some dried leaves over parts of the sand; oak, beech, maple collected from a safe site are OK to use. Not essential, but again authentic so the fish like them.

Wild caught species appear in stores periodically, depending upon the collection times/seasons, but there are some very lovely patterned species worth the wait.

 

[Karen_2656]

There are currently 161 valid species described, and dozens more discovered but not yet described/names having a "C" number for identification. With very few exceptions, all are identical in behaviours, care, etc. So it is really up to you. If your water is on the soft side, then the whole range is possible because the vast majority are wild caught. The few that are being commercially raised include Corydoras aeneus, C. paleatus, C. sterbai, C. panda, and probably a couple others. Nice as they are, I would avoid C. panda here, as this is one exception to the group in that it likes cooler and flowing water. Any of the others would be fine with gourami. Must have a sand substrate though. And some chunks of wood are appreciated. You could lay some dried leaves over parts of the sand; oak, beech, maple collected from a safe site are OK to use. Not essential, but again authentic so the fish like them.

Wild caught species appear in stores periodically, depending upon the collection times/seasons, but there are some very lovely patterned species worth the wait.

Thanks.


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