New Gourami Pair. ID & questions...

[HiFi]

Got them from LFS recently. They were just labeled Dwarf Gouramis. Seen lots of pics of dwarfs & flame gouramis and not sure which ones they are.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e376/High-Fidelity/Gourami1.jpg


One is slightly smaller and not as vivid as the other. Is this a female? First week they swam together mostly...Now they stick to their own sides of the tank. The smaller one will chase the other away if it come to (her) side..


http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e376/High-Fidelity/GouramiPair.jpg

Sometime they swim close in 69fashion, curved in, and kinda flutter and scare/nip at each other.
Not sure what to make of these guys or girls. Anyone know?

 

[Zagz]

The smaller one is the female IMO. They are usually smaller with rounder fins. Some gourami's get along some do not. It is a matter of personality.

 

[trotty]

I have a pair i'm trying to breed. They build bubble nests at the waters surface. So provide some plants that they can build in. My female is brown and male bright red and blue, As far as size there isn't much difference maybe 1/10th

 

[Hyrules]

I've read about gouramis gender. The female is generally less colorful than the male i think they tend to have a silverish color. I had 2 red dwarf gouramis like you have there they are really beautifull fish. As for the 69ish things, i have 2 kissing gouramis that does the same thing sometimes and i`m curious as well as for what this behavior mean among fishs.

 

[lmw80]

The smaller one is the female IMO. They are usually smaller with rounder fins. Some gourami's get along some do not. It is a matter of personality.

I have to agree with Zagz. A male/female combo is more likely to get along than a male/male combo.

 

[HiFi]

I am hoping mine breed if they are one of each. I have some cabomba floating in the males corner of the tank, as it wont grow in my ultra low-light tank. Not sure how long it will last either. I think I read that you should drop the water level 6-8" and get them on a live foods diet, to help with the deed. They get along with all the other fish in the tank, just not always with each other. I hope its a mating dance not aggressiveness.

 

[Japola44]

sounds like they are both males in my own personal experince. I had 2 at one point but gave one to a teacher because they constantly fought. Anyway if the smaller ones dorsal fin is not pointed than its a female. otherwise from what i observed when i kept the two males together it sounds as though they are male. If you have 2 tanks i would move one to another tank to reduce stress. My one that I kept seems much happier alone.