Gouramis?

[Tempestuousfury]

My lfs is willing to let me trade in my silver dollars for a few danios or neon tetras, so I'll have more room in my 55!

Do you guys think I should get a gourami for that tank? Dwarfs don't get really big, so I could get one of them... What's a relatively cheap and small gourami?

If I decide to buy a gourami I'll do research, but I just wanted to know if their labyrinth organs are as efficient as that of bettas.

 

[juliethegr8t]

I would say go for a dwarf - they are great fish, I adore mine. They stay the smallest of the easily found gouarmis, and are for a good price in most places. They come in purty colors too.

As far as my observation goes, I'd say that their labyrinths are just as good, but they don't seem to use them as often as bettas. However maybe that's due to the fact I have my gouramis in better oxygenated tanks? Hmm.. dunno!

 

[OscarCichlid]

A giant gourami would be great also. They only get 4 inches, there very peaceful and also are very beatiful and a little tougher than dwarf gouramis which i found to get disease's very easily.

 

[juliethegr8t]

There are two types of gouramis known as the "Giant Gourami", so if you want to get one, make sure you get the right one.

"Osphronemus gorami" gets to 24''

"Colisa fasciata" gets to 4''

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I was going to follow what the labels had, anyways. Anything else that stay's small and is somewhat cheap? The dwarfs are $6, so I was hoping there might be some cheaper ones.

Any way to sex these fish, by the way?

 

[Morrgan]

The only worry I'd have about a gourami is that you seem to have zebra danios, platies and guppies in the tank. A calm gourami might get stressed by those lively fish. But then, if you have a lot of plants and other cover by the top of the tank it may be ok.

 

[paintherapies]

What about blue (moonlight) gouramies? They really dont get that big. I have 2 of them in a 30 gallon with some tiger barbs and lemon tetras. Everyone gets along fine.
And their color is nice compliment to the tiger barbs and lemon tetras.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I don't think I can get plants in there that will grow to the top or float. If I do, they're most likely going to die. My swordplants might grow a bit, but I don't think they'll flower, so I don't think there will be much coverage up top.

What do you guys think about me putting one in my ten? If it stays relatively small, I think my tank should be able to just barely accomodate the gourami.

 

[Morrgan]

The 10g looks like a better choice. I don't know how a gourami will react to shrimp and a frog, but the other fish in there should be fine. One of the smaller gouramis, which only grow to about 2 inches, would fit in. Maybe a honey gourami? Dunno about their prices, sorry.

As for sexing, the males are usually more colorful than the females. That applies as long as they're the natural colored ones, I don't know about the different color variations that have been bred.

 

[OscarCichlid]

Moonlight Gouramis do get very big. Ive seen them in my LFS about 7-8 inches. The way that you could sex dwarf gouramis or any gourami for that matter is there dorsal fin. The males dorsal fin will be longer and pointy and the females will be short and round. Also Females look to be fatter and males are slimmer. I would put a Honey Dwarf in the 10 and i would put 2 Giant gouramis or 2 Paradise Gouramis (my favorite Gourami) (male/female) in the 55. The giant gourami and paradise gouramis are both about 5 dollars and is a beatiful fish that stays small. The pic of the giant gourami there is a bad one. Most are dark black with brightly colored stripes.

Giant Gourami Info
Honey Dwarf Gourami Info
Blue Paradise Gourami << Also could be found in albino form..

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Thanks for that information.

I have gone to that site many times but had never bothered to memorize the url. Thanks again, I'll be sure to use the info.