Sexing honey gouramis

[dmaccy]

Hi all, is there a way to tell apart male and female red honey gouramis, or the normal colouration, when they are at their juvenile stage (the usual selling age)? I'd like to buy a pair but want to avoid the 2 male scenario!

Also, do people think we'd be OK with honey gouramis or dwarf gouramis in a tank with galaxy rasboras?

 

[Colin_T]

Juvenile honey gouramis look like females.

Avoid dwarf gouramis (Colisa lalius) and all their colour forms because they regularly carry the gourami Iridovirus and or Fish TB. Neither of which can be treated and remain in the tank forever (or until you take the tank apart and disinfect everything.

If the tank is big enough you can have small gouramis and galaxy rasboras. In a small tank, male gouramis could be an issue if/ when they start breeding.

 

[itiwhetu]

In New Zealand it is very rare that you will ever find a female Dwarf Gourami. The importers concentrate on males. Females will have little or no color therefore aquarists generally don't want them. Galaxy Rasboras should be fine with Honey Dwarfs, but not so good with Dwarfs.

 

[Akeath]

I would not put any type of Gourami with Galaxy Rasboras, as Galaxy Rasboras are fin nippers that will do damage to the Gourami's long feelers. Gourami are an extremely tempting target for fin nippers, even when fin nippers are kept in large schools.

As far as sexing Honey Gourami, I find it easiest to look at the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin of a male Honey Gourami has a pointy edge, while the dorsal fin of females are more rounded at the end.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Red honey gouramis are actually T.labiosa (Thicklipped Gouramis) and not T.chuna (Honey gouramis). Real honeys are the least agressive of them all and I'd dare to keep them with CPD's.