gourami question

[fishfreak77]

I wanted to know a little more about gouramis. I have had three of them. I started keeping fish a little more than a year ago. My first tank was a 6 gallon tank. I put a goldfish and a dwarf and yellow gourami. Well, let's just say:it didn't work out too well. A little later a got my 29 gallon and by then I had researched and gotten better at fish. I moved over my remaining yellow gourami. She lived for a few more months. I put mollies, platies and blue gourami in the tank..I think I had about ten in all. Well, soon enough some mollies died and I got a few more. Then whenever one died I didn't add anymore. Right now I only have 2 platys left. OH by the way..I added fish a little bit at a time and I have checked my water and it is fine.

Now on to my question:

Which gourami's are the easiest to take care of and are hardy? I really like gouramis but I can't have as many in the tank. Mine were fine with mollies and platies.

How many gourami's can I have in a 29 gallon tank?

 

[Simpte]

Dwarf gouramis tend to do well with more of thier own species than other types. Keep in mind that if you mix sexes, they may try to spawn and get territorial. I would first find out why my other fish kept dieing. Then if everything checks out, I would try 3 gouramis.

 

[fishfreak77]

Well my first gourami was in a 6 gallon tank with a goldfish and gold gourami so I know why he died. Then my gold one died a few months after I put her in the big tank with other fish so she was probably stressed out. Then my blue one...don't know. She was never the 'head' fish in the tank...the mollies usually picked on her but she was fine with the other fish.

 

[workfortheman]

I think Simpte is talking about your mollies and platties. They are likely dying due to aggression.

I've heard that pearl gouramies are some of the most peaceful, but I'm not sure about sensitivity to water parameters and such.

 

[bosk1]

I have started quite a few gourami threads lately with tons of questions. Since I have more questions than actual knowledge at this stage, I will link you to the threads instead of trying to respond myself. But I will say, in general, that my questions mostly concerned the medium-sized gouramis (blues & golds, pearls), not dwarf gouramis, which might be more appropriate for your tank size. It is not 100% clear from your post what types of gouramis you are interested in. Look at the signatures of some of the people who responded to my posts. One person (I forget who) has a few gourami tanks. I know one tank is a 29. Anyway, here are some links:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=65212
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=59836&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=66533

Oh, and here's one on dwarf gouramis started by someone else: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=65555

You might just do a search on the forum for "gourami" and see how many threads come up.

 

[fishfreak77]

thanks bosk1 for the info! I shall do that!!!!! I like ALL types of gouramis! I really like the flame ones but they are expensive and I don't want to waste the money if they die

 

[miztah_wizzzad]

I had really good luck with my blues...until they started growing up and getting really aggressive....they managed to eat a couple of my angelfish and wipe out all 3 of my golds one weekend while I was gone. I had ok luck with moonlight gouramis, but they started feuding with the blues so i finally removed them from my tank. Now im down to 3 bala sharks, and 3 rainbow sharks

 

[gouramiguy]

I have had many different kind of gourami. The best ones in my opinion are the blue, and blue paradise. I have also had luck with honey dwarfs and moonlight. I have had one opaline in my 55 for about 4 or 5 months now and she seems to be doing fine. I have not had good luck with powder blue or any other color morph of the neon dwarf, gold, or pearl gourami. Pearls are a little harder to keep thought. So if you are looking for hardier gourami, most of the dwarfs will work. My personal fav of the dwarfs are the honeys. The males turn goldish with a blue underbelly. Very beautiful. If you want full grown, go with the blue paradise or blue. I have had a blue that lived for about six years (RIP).
When you say yellow, I am assuming that it is a gold. IMO they are some of the most aggresive of all the 3 spot morphs, or all the gourami for that matter. I had one that would go after my adult red tail shark, and everything else. So, that is probably where the platties are going.

 

[fishfreak77]

thanks gouramiguy!

That probably is true about my gold gourami killing some platys but a lot of them died after she died...the mollies probably took over!!!!!

What about flame gouramis?

 

[RoK]

Flame gouramis are just a color morph of the dwarf gourami.