Sparkling Gourami, makes surprise visit

[Country joe]

I purchased a sparkling Gourami 3 months ago immediately on going into the tank it vanished behind a pice of wood with lots of plants behind it. a week went by and I never saw it, I decided it had died and was eaten by the tank fish ,imagine my surprise today after 3 months of putting it in the tank I saw it.for the first time It looks good, it swam half way up the tank, then dropped back down vanishing again, I don't know how it's looking so healthy, as I've never seen it eating.

 

[Naughts]

I purchased a sparkling Gourami

Get it a friend or a small group?

I never saw it,

Do you have bigger, energetic or more aggressive fish in the tank?

 

[Country joe]

Get it a friend or a small group?

Do you have bigger, energetic or more aggressive fish in the tank?

No just tetras, apart from harlequin Rasboras, I've no room for more fish.

 

[Naughts]

No just tetras, apart from harlequin Rasboras, I've no room for more fish.

Some tetras are bigger or nippy, not sure what you have? But if it's not hiding because of intimidating tank mates, maybe it needs conspecifics. If you can't provide that it may be better off elsewhere?

 

[anewbie]

Some tetras are bigger or nippy, not sure what you have? But if it's not hiding because of intimidating tank mates, maybe it needs conspecifics. If you can't provide that it may be better off elsewhere?

Most of the fishes i buy - which i admit are dwarf cichild; hide until they learn the behavior of their tank mates. I had one pair hide for 4 weeks. Truth be told most of the fishes i buy would do better in a spieces only tank but that is off topic.

As for a friend - well 2 are for fighting a group is for playing

 

[Naughts]

I had one pair hide for 4 weeks.

The OPs fish has been hidden for 3 months.
See profile below regarding sparkling gourami.

Trichopsis pumila – Sparkling Gourami (Ctenops pumilus, Trichopsis pumilus var. siamensis) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[MaloK]

Some fish are not the sharpest pencil in the box.

I had a dwarf gourami "alone" as a center piece in a neon tank and it took him months to realize he was the boss.

Once he realized that, the tank "inverted". It when from he hiding all the time to everybody else hiding all the time.

 

[anewbie]

The OPs fish has been hidden for 3 months.
See profile below regarding sparkling gourami.

Trichopsis pumila – Sparkling Gourami (Ctenops pumilus, Trichopsis pumilus var. siamensis) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Yea i know 3 months; it happens. Anyway not sure of the point of your link; when they say 'pair' they mean m/f but if you buy a random fish it is 50% the same sex.... hence my comment. They are difficult to sex though i do have 3 males and a lovely female...

 

[Country joe]

I havea black phantom tetras in the tank who do a lot of chasing each over around, maybe that's what causing him to hide, inmy 70 litre tank I now have a few Green neon tetras,some Ember tetras tetras, and a few celestial pearl danios in the ta k, as he is small maybe he would fit in there better, what do you think, I have live plants and wood in the tank so he could hide.

 

[GaryE]

I've always seen them as a fish to be kept in groups, even if breeding isn't the goal. They seem very social, although they spar a lot. You have to be careful - they are an entry drug to Parosphromenus, the licorice gourami group, and that gets expensive.

 

[anewbie]

I've always seen them as a fish to be kept in groups, even if breeding isn't the goal. They seem very social, although they spar a lot. You have to be careful - they are an entry drug to Parosphromenus, the licorice gourami group, and that gets expensive.

I picked up a group of cherry chocolate (Sphaerichthys selatanensis); they were around $10 each.

Only real negative as far as keeping is they need very soft acidic water but otherwise a really nice fish. I keep them at ec 34. Oh they are said to require live food and the seller sold them fed them live food but i found they go after pretty much anything.

i do know that there are far more exotic species (several new ones discovered last year); that are quite a bit more colourful and can be $$$. The biggest problem with those fishes is not a lot is known about behavior and they really should be bred given their scarcity. Definitely not something for the casual fish keeper.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Sparkling gouramis are very social and do best in a group. Having only one, you're missing the fun of listening to them talk things over. They are also very slow, selective micropredators, rather slow moving, and easily intimidated by bigger, more active tank mates...and just about everybody is bigger and more active than them.

 

[Country joe]

Well imoved it my other tank, where the biggest fish is a green neon tetra, he has been swimming about since going g in, and is feeding, let's hope he's happier, I no its not ideal to have him on his own, but tank is at its capacity..

 

[Country joe]

Cant believe its a different fish, after been the scalet pimpernel for 3 months and being away from the black phantom Tetras,he orshe is out swimming in the open going along the tank, I'm seeing him all the time