Dwarf Gourami question

[AJ]

Well I visited a new LFS yesterday and finally found my bristlenose pleco I've been wanting! I also picked up two sunset dwarf gouramis. They were the only two in the tank and seemed to get along well and were housed with a few guppies and tetras so I figured they'd do well in my tank. Anyways, no problems were fighting, etc amongst the gouramis, everything seems peaceful. However one of the gouramis has not eaten since I've taken it home. The other one will pick at the flakes I put in. I am wondering if they have some dietary requirements I do not know about. I do have some frozen brine shrimp, but that's the extent of my fish groceries. Also - do you need to give algae wafers to the pleco or is that over kill?

AJ

 

[BrianNY]

Hi AJ. A fish that refuses to eat is not a good sign. Did you see them eat at the lfs? I always ask to see that before I make a purchase. If he doesn't adjust to your tank in a day or two, I'd return him.

As for the pleco, they love veggie wafers and it should be included in it's diet. JMO

 

[William]

Pl*co's are usually hot sellers [ Because LFS employees often say things like " Oh, yeah.. that Common will be fine forever in your 5gal bowfront. He won't get over 3 inches long! " when it will really get 2 foot ].

So, IME, Pl*co's that are at the LFS have been there a very short time, often times just arriving a day or two before hand and have yet to adjusted to its LFS tank, when you come in to buy it and take it to yet another tank. So this can account ofr stress and no eating.


As for eating, Pl*co's should be fed one or two algae waffers a day, Wait until about an hour after you turn the tank lights out, hten drop in the waffers.

 

[woodlitnight]

I had the same problem with dwarf gourami. I put two in a 29g tank that at the time only held 2 pearl gourami & 4 tiger barbs and a bunch of plants. One of them refused to eat right off the bat, and would only hide under a rock ledge in the tank. Thinking it might be the nippy tiger barbs, I moved both dwarf gourami into my 5 gallon quarantine tank... No dice. He just starved himself to death. Though I like them, I think they're too timid and I have friends who have had similar problems. Now I just stay away from them.

On the other hand, my pearl gouramis are doing great.

 

[general tzao]

IMPORTANT NOTE: Dwarf Gouramis require "Pristine water conditions." make sure your cycle levels are Low and constant.. also keep PH at 6.5-7.0 Temp 72-81 degrees Otherwise they will stress... this is why i stay away from them now but they are great if you had an aquatic plant only tank to keep them in

 

[TankGirl]

I have had none of these problems with dwarf gouramis, and currently have two in separate tanks. One of them resides in a tank I maintain at my daughter's elementary school, and it goes the weekend with no feeding or attention, and also goes for a week during spring break with no attention. It survived a week-long power outage when the school was closed, so there was nobody there to even stir up the water. The only problem I have had with dwarf gouramis is some aggression.

That being said, there are fish that are just not in good health when we purchase them, and if it is not eating it may be unwell so I would return it. Another good reason for a quarrantine tank.

P.S. Just a reminder, these are only MY experiences and I do not assume that all dwarf gouramis are hardy and aggresssive! Also, the pleco definitely needs to be fed at night with algae tablets. Depending upon what kind it is, it is likely to get very large, as well.