Can I have a Pearl Gourami and Red Flame Gourami ?

[Manix]

Is it possible to have a Pearl Gourami and Red Flame Gourami in a 40 gallon planted tank?

I'm planning to add them both at the same time, so neither one would have their territory to begin with.

Can you recommend any others?

[absolutangel04]

Originally Posted by Manix

Is it possible to have a Pearl Gourami and Red Flame Gourami in a 40 gallon planted tank?

I'm planning to add them both at the same time, so neither one would have their territory to begin with.

Can you recommend any others?

In a tank that big, it can work IMO. But, it depends on the temperment of the individual fish and assuming you don't have other bossy tankmates. Having lots of plants to break the line of sight in the tank helps. Just keep an eye on it for bullying.

[Manix]

My other fishes are Zebra Danios and Kuhli Loaches. So I'm assuming it should be fine.

Hopefully the Gourami's will get along. If not I'll return the Red Flame Gourami.

[absolutangel04]

Just a warning, the pearl may be aggitated by the danios since they are so active. Sometimes zd don't work out wwell with shyer gouramis like pearls. I am not saying it won't work, just keep an eye on it. Hopefully they all get along, that sounds like an attractive mix.

[Manix]

I'll make sure to keep a look out. Thanks.

If it fails I'll give the Danio's away too. Later I can put more Harlequins in there and possibly Cardinal Tetra's.

I love the Pearl and making it my center piece.

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, pearls are beautiful Definitely one of my favorite gouramis.

[Manix]

Are dwarf gourami the same as red flame gourami? My LFS has the dwarf gourami with red colors. The dorsal fin has a slight blue line through it.

Can it be kept with the Pearl Gourami if I introduce them together?

[absolutangel04]

Originally Posted by Manix

Are dwarf gourami the same as red flame gourami? My LFS has the dwarf gourami with red colors. The dorsal fin has a slight blue line through it.

Can it be kept with the Pearl Gourami if I introduce them together?

Usually, fish labeled as red flame gourami are just a color variation of dg. There is a similar species called the honey gourami though, and sometimes the dg and honey are called the same names even though they are different species. In general, red flame gourami=dg. But, its a good idea to google images of both the dg and the honey just to make totally sure that the fish are getting isn't mis-labeled. I wish more fish stores would give a proper common name as well as a latin name because it would allow for much less confusion.

Like I said before, it depends on the temperment of the fish if you can keep them together. Pearls can be shy and dg can be bossy, so there is not guarantee that it will work, but you can certainly try it and just keep an eye on it. I tend to think it will work since you have space, but fish are individuals, so you never know.

[Manix]

Thanks. I'll give it a shot.

[Koikid88]

Never heard of a red flame gourami? Like absolut said, it's most likely a Dwarf. I have a m/f pair in one tank, and when they are out with fins extended, red is the dominant colour with blue stripes.

Any way, Dwarf are known to be the more aggressive of Gouramis, but mine are fairly calm. There's also a Blue x2 the size in the same 90g, but the blue is very calm. So they both leave each other alone, eat beside each other, just have their own territories when resting. When they cross paths, they circle each other, the dwarf extends and brightens, but they eventually swim apart. I'm sure they nip once in awhile.


As for the Pearl, he was in the same tank, and bullied everything. Nothing bothered him though. For this reason, from my experience, I wouldn't put a Pearl in with a dwarf. The pearls now in my 20g with tetras and glass catfish.

If you still wish to risk it, get them both very young. Gouramis get old and grumpy fast, so having them grow together may (or may not) help them get along a bit better down the road.

As for the other fish, you should be fine. Just keep the danios and kuhlis in groups of 5 or more. My LFS puts a really good deal on kuhli loaches twice a year, so I have a bunch lol

[nnacho528]

I used to have a pearl gourami and a red gourami in the same tank, the red flame got some disease and died off. But while they were living together they mostly ignored eachother. The red flame would hang out in the plants with my swordtail, and the pearl would hang out with the mollies. Of course they went after eachother once in a while, but they were fine together.

[Maltimomma]

I have blue, gold and opaline gourami in a planted 55g tank and they get along fine. In my 29g I have powder blue and red flame dg and they also get along. The powder blue are my favorites because they are so beautiful.