Fish ID : Three Spot or Dwarf Blue?

[germanyt]

I brought back the dalmation molly today and got a new gourami. Problem is I didn't pay much attention when the guy picked out the fish so I get it home and wonder why it looks different. I figure maybe it's a female. I looked up some photos and it looks like I have a regular 3 spot gourami (the new one). Apparently all gourami should have the 3 spots if they are of that variety and my old one has none.

The new one.

So what exactly do I have here. I don't want the 3 spot if the other one is a dwarf. I'd rather just have dwarf since it's only a 10 gallon.

 

[spiketooth]

can you geta better pick of the first one, second one looks like a powder blue gourami and the third one looks like a opaline gourami

 

[Wolfsblood]

The 2nd pic is a Dwarf and the 3rd pic is a 3 spot which will get much too large for a 10g. I would take it back and just stick with one gourami in a 10.

 

[Luananeko]

Agreed, second is dwarf, third is a juvenile three spot. They lose the opaline-like marbling as they mature, as opposed to an opaline where they keep the marbling and don't have any spots. Need a better pic of the first one to be able to ID it...

EDIT: Oops, sounds like the first two pics are of the same fish. Yes, you definitely want to take the three spot back. They get much too big for your 10 gallon and are quite ornery.

 

[deadmanwalking]

Yeah, I agree with Luananeko, definitely looks like a Dwarf and Three-Spot to me.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Yup yup, second pic is a neon blue dwarf, and third is a blue or 3 spot. You most deffinetly shouldn't have the 3 spot in a tank gallon.

 

[germanyt]

Yeah the first and second pic is the same fish. I figured that's what it was. I tried to figure out whether or not it was a dwarf while I was at the store but some of them look the same and the receipt didn't specify . I appreciate the help. Should I get rid of the 3 spot and get another dwarf or just keep one dwarf in the tank?

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Only 1 in a ten gallon for sure.

 

[germanyt]

Only 1 in a ten gallon for sure.

I totally disregarded this advice and swapped out the 3 spot for this dwarf blue. I'm about 99% sure it's a female.

And this is the male.

 

[germanyt]

After a bit more research I don't think I have the right fish. Stupid PetSmart. I'm pretty sure I have a male powder blue and a male neon blue.

 

[spiketooth]

The powder blue is a male for sure, the other one not sure
This is my male




My female

 

[germanyt]

So I took them both back. I'm done with gourami. Swapped them both out for 3 sunshine mickey mouse platys and 3 red wag platys.

 

[Wolfsblood]

It is usually pretty hard to get a female from a local pet store anyway.

 

[Luananeko]

I haven't messed with dwarf gourami much personally, but keep an eye on the two of them... There have been a lot of reports of problems when keeping more than one male in a small tank. They are related to bettas after all... Personalities vary though, so there have been some success stories of keeping a pair or trio of males. New one is definitely a powder blue, as females of either variety are silver, not blue.

 

[germanyt]

It is usually pretty hard to get a female from a local pet store anyway.

After looking thorough everything they had listed as a gourami I couldn't find anything that matched the Wiki description of a female.

I haven't messed with dwarf gourami much personally, but keep an eye on the two of them... There have been a lot of reports of problems when keeping more than one male in a small tank. They are related to bettas after all... Personalities vary though, so there have been some success stories of keeping a pair or trio of males. New one is definitely a powder blue, as females of either variety are silver, not blue.

I wound up swapping them out for half a dozen platies. I'm happier with the quanitity and color of the platies over the gourami.

 

[JadeGreen]

Just wanted to pipe in with my knowledge of PETsMART... To my knowledge the company has never sold females. The old tags at least used to say they were male (insert species) gourami. I think they forgot to leave male when they changed up the tags.

 

[Luananeko]

After looking thorough everything they had listed as a gourami I couldn't find anything that matched the Wiki description of a female.



I wound up swapping them out for half a dozen platies. I'm happier with the quanitity and color of the platies over the gourami.

Yep, that's a much better mix. Just keep an eye on the baby count so they don't overpopulate the tank

 

[germanyt]

Yep, that's a much better mix. Just keep an eye on the baby count so they don't overpopulate the tank

Well..... I'm planning on the uneaten fry to be goldfish food. I'm not sure with my tank care how many platies would overstock the 10 gallons but I imagine 10 is too many. Anything over that is fish food.

 

[germanyt]

BTW how do you like my new substrate and onion?

 

[Luananeko]

Honestly even the 6 platies and the gourami is a pretty heavy load already. I'd have all of the fry become goldfish food unless you're doing at least 50% water changes weekly. The plants look great and will help keep the parameters in check between water changes