compatibility question

[Megalofyia]

Would flame dwarf gouramis get along with a male beta?

 

[Allivymar]

Most likely not. Similar needs and they will be competing (eg: both are air breathers, both are bubble nest builders).

 

[Megalofyia]

Does anyone actually know? The people at the LFS seemed to think there would not be a problem. This is an actual fish store not pet smart. But still I'd like to know if anyone has actually had experience with this.

 

[PlatyLady]

I've kept male bettas for years, and have never had any luck with successfully keeping them with other fish for more than a week or two. I hear female bettas might get along with other fish better.

 

[Scottw68TN]

Not recommended "by the book thinking" However fish do have different temperments to an extent found some compatible suggestions shown below:

Usually White Clouds are compatible with Bettas and can live in a Large Fish Bowl with a Betta, but sometimes the Betta will chase and annoy the White Clouds, and very rarely White Clouds have nipped on a Betta.
Males Bettas can also be kept in aquariums with Platies, Mollies, Swordtails, Angel Fish, Danios, Gouramis, a school of Bala Sharks, a school of Clown Loaches, a group of Corydoras Catfish, and a Plecostomus Catfish.

 

[Megalofyia]

Males Bettas can also be kept in aquariums with Platies, Mollies, Swordtails, Angel Fish, Danios, Gouramis, a school of Bala Sharks, a school of Clown Loaches, a group of Corydoras Catfish, and a Plecostomus Catfish.

So according to that information any gouramis has the potential to be a fine tank mate?



I've never kept my bettas in solitary tanks. The betta I want to put with the flame dwarf gouramis is already in a tank with some glass catfish, and a flat small fish that sucks on the walls.

 

[ferret]

I regularily keep bettas in my less aggressive (read, non-cichlid) tanks. I've only lost one ever, and this was in a tank that was otherwise entirely gouramis. They tore him up, so if there's a group of gouramis and nothing else, I wouldn't suggest it.

But, on the other hand, tanks with 1-4 gouramis and several other types of fish have left the bettas alone. I can't say what just a betta and gourami by themselves will do though.

 

[Megalofyia]

Do the gouramis tend to be fast active swimmers? This might be a problem I hadn't considered with the glass catfish. Since they tend to like quiet tanks. In the fish store the gouramis didn't seem as active as fish like the neon tetras but perhaps they were only trying to decieve me.

 

[ferret]

Gouramis are fairly active from my experiences. They don't always move very fast, but to my knowledge its rare for them to sit still. They've got nothing on Danios but they seem to constantly explore the tank.

They do have a tendancy to stick to the middle-upper levels of the tank though, so any fish in the lower areas of the tank are unlikely to be bothered. When they do stop moving, to rest or whatever it is they do, they tend to either hang out in corner, all the way at the top or the bottom, or under a plant or behind an ornament.

And I don't think I've ever heard of neons being described as active ;P I've never known neons, cardinals or glow-lites to be particularily active. They seem to all three just hang out in groups and somewhat slowly make their way around the tank

 

[centuriJon]

Actually, I did have a flame gourami in my community tank with a male betta, I got them on the same day and they never had a problem with each other. But the gourami chased after everything else in the tank, so I gave him to my girlfriend (who already had a set-up tank with a male betta). At first the betta made himself look tough, and kept "posturing" at the gourami, but after about a day, the betta decided that he was no threat and left him alone. In my opinion though, most gourami's have distinct personalities.

 

[Centurion]

did someone try to clone me?!? 8O

 

[centuriJon]

actually I've used this name for lots of things for years now. God I hope there's only one me, the world would couldn't take it.

 

[Christmasfish]

Your gourami are more likey to be the attackers in this case.
They are faster than the slow moving veiltails and aggressive to other bubblenesters....including each other a lot of the time.
They are a loose community group in the wild and terrritorial. Lalia species are not actually shoaling or schooling fish, only spawns shoal together. They just are more secure with others around. And without dither fish your betta is toast for sure.
Especially if you have a group of 5 or less gourami. The double pairs will tear up the odd man out AND anything they take a dislike to in your tank.

When the "community spirit of gourami" was put out into common knowledge, it was actually referring to certain species; not all. The shoaling peaceable species are unforntuneately some of the larger ones. Technically, bettas and paradisefish are gouramy anyways.
Add to that the current practice in asian fish farms to raise gourami like bettas (jarring), and you have fish that are more aggresive than usual for the species.(which btw..why jar? to prevent damage ..how damage..you following?)
It can work but I wouldn't suggest it ......

 

[centuriJon]

gourami vs betta

Well, my male Powder Blue Gourami and male Betta are getting along famously now, and my g/f's Red Gourami and male Betta get along "decently" so I think it works at least

 

[fearlessfisch]

Wow....Just like centuriJon, I have a powder blue gourami and a male betta who get along. I think it is really the luck of the draw, though. I didn't know any better when I put them together, and was lucky.