Gourami question for the masses...

[Patwa]

OK some of you may know I had a pretty bad bacterial infection recently (not me, but my tank!)...anyways..I lost 4 fish in total....one of the losses was a beautiful 2.5" male Paradise gourami. I had originally bought him as part of a pair (the female paradise is still alive and kicking).

my question.....i want to get a new Gourami....but does already having a female Paradise mean I can only get a male Paradise??? I was checking around for info on mixing and matching different types of gouramis...but no real hard info..

soo...when i eventually go out to buy the male gourami, am I restricted to the same type?? can i pick any other males

oh....are the temperments relatively the same from type to type?? cuz i tell you what, the male Paradise was nice and all, but he was a bit pushy to the other fish...

thanks,

Zach.

 

[Sati]

All gouramis I've had are pushy...

 

[freshwatergal]

From what I have read in various books Gourami's go with Gourami's no matter what type they are. I once had a blue, gold, fire and opal Gourami and they all got along just fine. I guess it would depend on your personal taste though.

 

[Patwa]

From what I have read in various books Gourami's go with Gourami's no matter what type they are. I once had a blue, gold, fire and opal Gourami and they all got along just fine. I guess it would depend on your personal taste though.

yeah I guess so.....but i'll prolly stay away from the Opaline....from what i've read here, that fish is too mucho macho for me.

are there any ones in particular that like to take it easy?? maybe a dwarf cinnamon??

Zach.

 

[lmw80]

Patwa, in my experience....the problems really start when there are multiple males in the tank, sometimes just cause they are males, sometimes cause the tank is too small and sometimes cause there isn't enough "stuff" in the tank for each of them to claim a territory....

 

[ferret]

See my signature. I keep a gold, opaline, dwarf, and pink kissing. They never fight.

 

[allan]

I have two tanks with assorted gourami, angel fishand rams in ranging from dwarf gouramis up to the larger kissing gourami. the only one I have that chase the others is my three spot male.

I tend to keep two females to each male perhaps this would help.

lots of luck

 

[notmuffy]

I have a pair of blue dwarf gouramis and the male fights with his own reflection!

("... Hi, I'm flo, and this is my sister, 'hi, how are ya,' Never listen to what my sister says, she's a little crazy"...) hee hee, you Finding Nemo fans will understand that one...

 

[LondonGman]

i posted the below on a similar issue a while ago at http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=9117&highlight=

I have 2 dwarf gouramis which I have had for awhile, but lost a couple before my present pair. I went to the shop and asked for two gouramis, and they sold me two males, a blue and red. They literally nipped each other to death. I asked the shop why they sold me two males as they are constantly attacking each other but apparently it is rare for a blue dwarf gourami to attack a red gourami …. Anyway they gave me a female gourami to add a bit of sex to the mix but it was too late for the two males and I eventually put them out of their misery.

I did not add another gourami to my tank to ensure that there was no gourami specific disease in the tank after which I added another red male dwarf gourami and he has been peacefully living in my tank with guppies, cardinals etc. He is a bit pugnacious (as described in a book) towards the female dwarf gourami but apparently, that is normal.

Therefore I figure that it is risky adding two males in the tank but they do like a chase, so add a female otherwise they may chase something else

the above is the full extent of my knowledge, take from it what you will LOL