Gouramis pairing.

[Sky042]

ok one of the new tanks I'm setting up is going to be an asian tank with gouramis locahes and tiger barbs. I'm thinking about 9 gouramis (3 from 3 species) likely gold opaline and pearl.

I was wondering about how to setup the groups. I was thinking that in order to reduce hostility that I'd get 1 male and 2 females of each species. Is that a good ratio?

 

[Teelie]

Only if it's a very large tank and well planted. Males will fight though when in a small space or with good hiding they aren't so bad at it. I have three 3 Spot Gourami in a 30 gallon tank. One male Opaline, one female Blue and one female Gold. The Gold and Blue are supposedly more aggressive which was true of my first Blue but I exchanged her for a more docile one and now the male Opaline is the aggressive one. He went after my equally docile Gold before I rearranged their tank to destory territory establishment.

 

[Sky042]

Only if it's a very large tank and well planted. Males will fight though when in a small space or with good hiding they aren't so bad at it. I have three 3 Spot Gourami in a 30 gallon tank. One male Opaline, one female Blue and one female Gold. The Gold and Blue are supposedly more aggressive which was true of my first Blue but I exchanged her for a more docile one and now the male Opaline is the aggressive one. He went after my equally docile Gold before I rearranged their tank to destory territory establishment.

They're going to be in my 54 Corner Bow Front.

So then should I raise the ratio or just keep only females?

 

[Teelie]

I would say stick with one, maybe two males in a 54 gallon tank and the rest females to be on the safe side, or you can try it with three males and hope for the best. I've only recently started keeping Gourami myself but I've done a lot of reading on their behavior and requirements and they are related to Bettas and share many of the same habits, including aggressive males fighting.

 

[Gourami Lover88]

If you really want 3 different speices then rasie the ratio of females(3 male and 9female). Also fish have different personalitys that varie from fish to fish, so it might not turn out so bad.

But it would be safer to go with just 2 males.

 

[Teelie]

If you really want 3 different speices then rasie the ratio of females(3 male and 9female). Also fish have different personalitys that varie from fish to fish, so it might not turn out so bad.

But it would be safer to go with just 2 males.

So true on the personality. My previous female Blue was a real ***** but the new one is fairly docile despite the reputation.

 

[slamster17]

i had 3 honey gurami males and they were fine together.

 

[Teelie]

Are you sure they were males? I find it hard to believe, though not impossible for 3 males to exist together like that.

 

[Inchworm]

...So then should I raise the ratio or just keep only females?

Hi Sky042

If you want a peaceful tank and wouldn't mind just having fish of one gender, I'd suggest you do just that. With gouramis there is not very much difference in appearance and the females, kept in a group, are docile.

I have 9 of them in a 20 gallon tank and they get along very well. I've never seen any aggression among them. I also have 2 males in my 55 gallon and they are always chasing each other.

Except for the dwarf varieties, the pearl gourami is the only one that has different coloring between the sexes. The male has red on his breast while the female does not. Nevertheless, she's still a beautiful fish.

 

[Teelie]

The only real difference in Gourami I know of is the dorsal fin is more enlongated on the male and shorter and rounder on the female.