Help Im Unsure If I Am Sexing My Pearls Right

[markandhisfish]

yesterday i bought 2 pearl gourami the owner of my fish shop said he would net me a pair ie male and female . im not so sure if he has though. this is because even though 1 of them has deffinately got a longer dorsal fin than the other both have a distinctly orange belly, i thought it was just males that had this, which is right please and if i do have 2 males will they be happy together

 

[gunnerx]

The best way to sex gouramis are the dorsal fins. The males are quite easy to determine with their pronounced longer and pointed fins. Here is a male Blue Gourami.

Here is the female. Notice the shorter and rounded fin.

I find that almost everything else is identical in the males and females.

 

[markandhisfish]

The best way to sex gouramis are the dorsal fins. The males are quite easy to determine with their pronounced longer and pointed fins. Here is a male Blue Gourami.

Here is the female. Notice the shorter and rounded fin.

I find that almost everything else is identical in the males and females.

thanks for your reply 1 of my fish has definately got a much longer dorsal fin than the other so i would say i have a male and female. are those blue gourami your own fish they are stunning

 

[gunnerx]

thanks for your reply 1 of my fish has definately got a much longer dorsal fin than the other so i would say i have a male and female. are those blue gourami your own fish they are stunning

Thanks! Yes they are mine. They were tiny when I got them and didn't look too good but they have turned out really nicely!

 

[markandhisfish]

thanks for your reply 1 of my fish has definately got a much longer dorsal fin than the other so i would say i have a male and female. are those blue gourami your own fish they are stunning

Thanks! Yes they are mine. They were tiny when I got them and didn't look too good but they have turned out really nicely!

how do you get such good pics? i have a 7.2 megapixel canon ixus i can get good pics of my yellow spotted pleco cos he keeps still but my gourami are quite shy and wont keep still!!

 

[gunnerx]

how do you get such good pics? i have a 7.2 megapixel canon ixus i can get good pics of my yellow spotted pleco cos he keeps still but my gourami are quite shy and wont keep still!!

Just give them time to get used to you. My Gouramis know me quite well now and will usually stay in one spot in front of the tank posing.

 

[tenohfive]

Tripod tripod tripod...

 

[gourami_fan]

Pearl gouramis may develop different traits than the 3-spot gouramis. The best way to tell a female and male apart is that the male will develop a very orange or red belly and long frills at the end of their dorsal and anal fin. Females will be slightly more plump with little to no orange belly and no frills.

It could be quite hard to tell them apart when they're young, since my male pearl used to have a round dorsal fin when it was small and little orange colour to begin with. Typically it is best gouramis are kept in a trio of 1 male to 2 females. Although if you have the room and hiding places or heavily planted tank, 2 males would be fine

Heres a link to what a mature male pearl would look like (just scroll down):
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/Gouramis-and-Anabantoids/238911/Gourami-Pictures/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/Gouramis...urami-Pictures/[/URL]

 

[Biulu]

I completely agree with gourami fan. Do have a look at the thread he mentions!