Dwarf Gouramis In Groups

[soybean]

I only have one male, but I absolutely love these little fish and would like more one day. I even like the females. I read a lot in forums about keeping a single male dwarf, or a male and two females, but has anyone kept these as a larger group, or as a single species tank?

Hypothetically, how many and what ratio m:f could feasibly be kept in a 180l, well planted metre long tank? Perhaps 3:7?

 

[twodoctors]

I have 4 Honey Gouramis in my 90L. They are supposed to be 2 male 2 female. Definitely no fighting here. But then Honey are supposed to be more peaceful than Dwarf...

Adrian

 

[Didge007]

I have a coral blue dwarf (have assumed he's male but will get an id later on) by himself in a tank with an albino cory, angel, neons, BGK, pictus and rosey barbs and he's not overly aggressive. Although he has given the barbs a touch up once or twice when they've gone to gang up on him (getting rid of the barbs). He doesn't get picked on but I've never seen him pick on anything else. Gets along great with my angel (who is tiny).

Love the personality though...if he spots something unusual he curves his body, shimmys his tail and if it's a bloodworm or flake he'll strike at it.

 

[soybean]

Thanks for replies. I have one male already in a community and he's very peaceful and inquisitive.
But I'd really like to know if is it ever possible to keep 2/3 males and a group of females?

 

[Carlovel1]

Thanks for replies. I have one male already in a community and he's very peaceful and inquisitive.
But I'd really like to know if is it ever possible to keep 2/3 males and a group of females?

Keeping multiple males is just asking for a lot of trouble. It may be possible in a largish tank (250L+) but in anything under, will sooner or later will result in other fish getting attacked or even killed. IME Dwarfs get much more aggressive when there are other Dwarfs in the same tank hence why I've always only kept a single Dwarf in each tank.

 

[soybean]

Pity. Was just a thought anyway. Though some do seem to keep two males ok in smaller tanks, I've seen pictures!

What about honeys?

 

[twodoctors]

Pity. Was just a thought anyway. Though some do seem to keep two males ok in smaller tanks, I've seen pictures!

What about honeys?

If you are talking about the dwarf ones, and if my LFS picked correctly, then 2m and 2f is ok.

Adrian

 

[Carlovel1]

If you are talking about the dwarf ones, and if my LFS picked correctly, then 2m and 2f is ok.

 

[Carlovel1]

Pity. Was just a thought anyway. Though some do seem to keep two males ok in smaller tanks, I've seen pictures!

What about honeys?

I've gone to tons of shops with many male Dwarf Gouramis in it. Does it mean its ok? No

When young, males are tolerant of eachother. That is why you often see male Dwarf Gourami together.

 

[soybean]

Ok...well I wasn't talking about shops, I HAVE seen on forums etc people keeping two males together. All I was asking was simply an extension of that + females hypothetically. Likewise have also heard of honeys being kept together. I appreciate that this is not the norm.

 

[Carlovel1]

Ok...well I wasn't talking about shops, I HAVE seen on forums etc people keeping two males together. All I was asking was simply an extension of that + females hypothetically. Likewise have also heard of honeys being kept together. I appreciate that this is not the norm.

Honey Gouramis are a lot more peaceful than Dwarf Gouramis. They SHOULD be kept in groups of 3+, but ideally 1 male.

Ok...well I wasn't talking about shops, I HAVE seen on forums etc people keeping two males together. All I was asking was simply an extension of that + females hypothetically..

And how to you know they are not fighting eachother (which is more than likely)?

 

[soybean]

And how to you know they are not fighting eachother (which is more than likely)?

I have read that others have kept two males in a tank together, for example when kept together from a young age, bought at the same time, or that the males have established territories, etc. That's all I said. I don't know if they're fighting, you'll have to ask those who have kept two together. I haven't ever kept more than one gourami in my life, the one I have now.

If Adrian's experiences are anything to go by, and he has 2 m and 2 f honey gouramis, it goes to show it sometimes works. Maybe he has 1 m and 3 f, I don't know, I haven't seen them.

I just asked about a hypothetical setup, that's all. Thanks for the input.

 

[twodoctors]

And how to you know they are not fighting eachother (which is more than likely)?

I have read that others have kept two males in a tank together, for example when kept together from a young age, bought at the same time, or that the males have established territories, etc. That's all I said. I don't know if they're fighting, you'll have to ask those who have kept two together. I haven't ever kept more than one gourami in my life, the one I have now.

If Adrian's experiences are anything to go by, and he has 2 m and 2 f honey gouramis, it goes to show it sometimes works. Maybe he has 1 m and 3 f, I don't know, I haven't seen them.

I just asked about a hypothetical setup, that's all. Thanks for the input.

Disclaimer: I've only had them for 3 days! D

I have read that honey gourami (dwarf ones) are very docile. I did think about getting another 2 females to go with the "1 male 1 female" that they picked for me. Looking at the colour morph (faint black line on the side) I think I indeed have 2m 2f. They definitely are not fighting, and living "happily" with the barbs, so far...

Adrian

 

[soybean]

Disclaimer: I've only had them for 3 days! D

I have read that honey gourami (dwarf ones) are very docile. I did think about getting another 2 females to go with the "1 male 1 female" that they picked for me. Looking at the colour morph (faint black line on the side) I think I indeed have 2m 2f. They definitely are not fighting, and living "happily" with the barbs, so far...

Adrian

See? I have READ that it works ok, it's up to the person who wrote it to provide all the info

Hope it works out anyway. It's a shame a bigger group of dwarf neons can't live together because that would've looked so lovely

 

[Carlovel1]

FYI I have a group of Honey Gouramis in a group with 2 males with no problems (apart from occasional bickering). Honey Gouramis are totally different in temperament to Dwarf Gourami and they are different species.

If Adrian's experiences are anything to go by, and he has 2 m and 2 f honey gouramis, it goes to show it sometimes works. Maybe he has 1 m and 3 f, I don't know, I haven't seen them.

Honey Gouramis are totally different to Dwarf Gourami. There is no point you comparing them.