A dwarf gourami query..

[HevvyC]

Hi guys,
I have a female cobalt blue gourami and a new male dwarf (standard type blue with red stripes) in a 30 gallon with 8 neons.
The female was glass surfing as she was alone in there with just shrimp, so I added company which I intended to do anyway.
The male started making a bubble nest within 24 hours, whereas she mostly looks for food and occasionally blows bubbles.
He flares chases and chases her when she goes on his side of the tank, which I feel bad about. She doesn't seem very deterred though, she always goes back and gets chased again, but I don't want her to get stressed.
I also had someone inform me that she could actually be a he, as she is very bright blue. However her fin is round and she has a big round belly. She doesn't really look like the male.
However, she has stopped glass surfing and is acting like a normal fish which is great to see. Whether this is because of him or the neons I don't know.
I wonder if she is really a boy or maybe her bright colours are fooling him and he think's she a boy.
I don't like to see the chasing though, I was thinking of adding two females to see if that would help. And I'm also getting 12 more neons on Friday.
What do you guys think? I've attached a picture of her, and my tank so you can see.
Thanks , Heather

 

[Colin_T]

I see a female dwarf gourami in the top left of the picture (the grey fish) but don't see a normal male (blue & red striped). Can you post a picture of the red & blue striped male?

The blue dwarf gourami looks like a female.

Don't add more gouramis, they are territorial.

 

[HevvyC]

I see a female dwarf gourami in the top left of the picture (the grey fish) but don't see a normal male (blue & red striped). Can you post a picture of the red & blue striped male?

The blue dwarf gourami looks like a female.

Don't add more gouramis, they are territorial.

Thanks for your comment - that grey looking one is the male - but he's not coloured up yet from the shop, his fin is very pointy though and he does have red stripes just doesn't show in the pic. He's chasing her a lot though so I might have to take him back and just get other community fish to keep her happy.

 

[HevvyC]

I see a female dwarf gourami in the top left of the picture (the grey fish) but don't see a normal male (blue & red striped). Can you post a picture of the red & blue striped male?

The blue dwarf gourami looks like a female.

Don't add more gouramis, they are territorial.

I took the male back and replaced him with four platies. I'm not even sure if she is a girl as she's been blowing bubbles on the surface like she's making a nest. Hopefully she feels safe enough to not glass surf now, and can also roam free without being chased.