Gourami Compatibility

[lmw80]

Are species of gouramis compatible with each other? ie, I have one gold gourami and one blue dwarf gourami in my 46g tank (and a betta)...they all get along great! If I get another gold gourami and another blue dwarf gourami do you think there will be problems within the species as far as getting along? I really love both species and I was thinking of getting a couple more of each.

 

[shawmutt]

I had a red-bellied gourami that was the scourge of my tank, he killed two of my regular dwarf gourami's before dying himself. My gourami experience is not that good.

 

[ShyGecko]

I don't know about those kind, but I have had Moonlight Gouramis and Pearl Gouramis living together in peace. I have one of each right now...I got the other from Petco and they all died...and they are two of the sweetest fish I have. They are very peaceful with the other fish, and are very friendly with me and have great personalities. I will probably get more when I have a chance, but the two I have are both 2-3 inches long and the ones you see at the lfs are always really small and I don't want any problems with size differences.

 

[Catalina]

I have two dwarf gouramis from petco, one flame colored and one neon blue. The flame is significantly bigger, and bullied Ted (the neon) into a corner of the tank. Ted has his own tank now, but I'm having problems because it's a five gallon tank with a non adjustable filter, and the strong curerent is really stressing him out. They each have such strong personalities and I really want to keep both of them! They are such great fish. I've never owned a gold, but they look beautiful. I was mainly replying because this was a thread about gouramis and I thought you might even have some advice for me, since you're higher up on the AA chain and everything. I'm not sure what advice to give you, since all I can say is that they have such distinctive personalities. I guess try not to get a new one that is much smaller or larger than the ones you have. But don't golds get several inches bigger than neons anyway? You have a big tank, and if things have been going well so far, I would think it'd be okay.

 

[shawmutt]

Maybe it's just the flame (I called it red-bellied) that is the bully? The other two never fought back at all, they just wanted to get away.

 

[fishstixs05]

It's never very good to mix gouramies, someone will end up dead or bullied. Stick with 1-3 total, even in a large tank.

 

[lmw80]

I also have 2 kissing gouramis, and they are both big bullies!! I will never get them again! The blue dwarf and gold gourami are very peaceful and in fact the gold one gets along great with my cory catfish!

Catalina - gouramis do not like current, and I had a problem in my tank with too much current as well. Put some plants (synthetic or real) in a bunch (instead of scattered around the tank). This will give him someplace to go to get away when the current becomes too much. My blue dwarf loves to hide out in the calm foliage.

 

[TankGirl]

I have had very poor luck with tankmates for them myself, though I have had only the dwarf variety. I have a regular dwarf male and he is currently alone in a 10-gal because I can't find any other fish that aren't petrified of him. Any fish I have had with him (tetras/danio types) cower and hide in the cave and plants, and do not swim about, hardly even to eat. I moved them into a tank with adult angels, and they are happy as clams!! The other one is a powder blue dwarf in a 15-gal and he actually kills his tankmates. I think they are absolutely gorgeous, like some cichlids and marine fish, but I am disappointed that they are alone in their tanks. I am tempted to return them to the store for credit, but I hate to part with them. I do hear about others keeping several gouramis together, so I know it can be done, but I think it is hit or miss, depending upon the individual.

 

[Catalina]

thank you for the tip lmw! i have a lot of plants in the tank because i have heard they like that, but i didn't think of putting them all together to form a little haven. i will actuallly go do that right now. i have been searching for a temporary solution to pacify him until i get a new filter up and running. i'm going to get an adjustable mini penguin biowheel, and put it on its lowest setting. but i cant get it until sunday, and it needs to run for a little while with the existing filter.

Maybe it's just the flame (I called it red-bellied) that is the bully

I have been thinking about this, too. i read some of your other gourami posts shawmutt, and wondered if you were using "red bellied" to refer to flame. Pighead (my flame) is so much more agressive than Ted. I am hoping to get a small school of neon tetras (like 4) to share his tank, but i am getting a little worried. He occasionally chases the cories that are in his tank right now, but not enough to bother them.