Blue dwarf gourami

[Hugheskc]

I have got my eye on a blue dwarf gourami at my local pet shop. I’ve done loads of research but what do you guys think about one on their own? As don’t want to risk getting two males as they can be difficult to sex correctly can’t they? The gourami would be with some platies and a couple little panda corys so I’m under the impression they’d all live quite happily together but wanted to go on other peoples experience with owning them

 

[Essjay]

Dwarf gouramis are easy to sex. If they're colourful, they're males; if they are silver with perhaps the hint of stripes in the neon blue variety, they're females. However, a lot of shops stock only males as "no-one wants the plain boring females".
This is one of the gourami species where the male can kill a female if he wants to breed and she doesn't. It is often suggested to get 2 females with a male - if the shop stocks females. And if tank size allows.

Dwarf gouramis bred in the far east are often infected with an incurable disease by the time they reach the shop. Examine all the fish in the tank carefully and if even just one of them doesn't look or behave 100%, don't buy any fish from that tank.

 

[emeraldking]

Keeping just one of those will be fine. People who would love to see the normal situation (males among females) would probably discourage you to take just one specimen. Which is okay as well. But such a dwarf gourami will be fine on its own.

Very young males do tend to look like a female before they get their colors.

Dwarf gouramis bred in the far east are often infected with an incurable disease by the time they reach the shop.

True. Overhere at the dutch wholesalers, all these dwarf gouramis are treated before they sell them to the retail. But as you already stated, it's an incurable disease. So, what's the use of the treatment in this case? Maybe the wholesalers are just keeping their hopes up.

 

[PewPewChris]

I've had one since I first started my tank journey...he's always done well as he transitioned from one tank, to another and to his home in the 40G breeder.

 

[Hugheskc]

I've had one since I first started my tank journey...he's always done well as he transitioned from one tank, to another and to his home in the 40G breeder.

Brilliant thank you! Do you find he’s a peaceful fish? Does he nip fins or do you have any smaller fish that nip at him? Sorry to be so nosey I just want to make sure I build my little community right

 

[Hugheskc]

Keeping just one of those will be fine. People who would love to see the normal situation (males among females) would probably discourage you to take just one specimen. Which is okay as well. But such a dwarf gourami will be fine on its own.

Very young males do tend to look like a female before they get their colors.

True. Overhere at the dutch wholesalers, all these dwarf gouramis are treated before they sell them to the retail. But as you already stated, it's an incurable disease. So, what's the use of the treatment in this case? Maybe the wholesalers are just keeping their hopes up.

I don’t want to breed so I think I’ll get the one on his own and hopefully he’s happy the one I have my eye on and pretty much all the others he’s in a tank with at the shop are a lovely electric blue definitely full of colour! So must all be males

 

[Hugheskc]

Dwarf gouramis are easy to sex. If they're colourful, they're males; if they are silver with perhaps the hint of stripes in the neon blue variety, they're females. However, a lot of shops stock only males as "no-one wants the plain boring females".
This is one of the gourami species where the male can kill a female if he wants to breed and she doesn't. It is often suggested to get 2 females with a male - if the shop stocks females. And if tank size allows.

Dwarf gouramis bred in the far east are often infected with an incurable disease by the time they reach the shop. Examine all the fish in the tank carefully and if even just one of them doesn't look or behave 100%, don't buy any fish from that tank.

The tank at the shop must be full of males then as they’re all a lovely shade of blue and the colours are all very eye catching I’ll get one on his own he’ll be living with a handful of platies and some panda corys so should all live happily together hopefully

 

[PewPewChris]

Brilliant thank you! Do you find he’s a peaceful fish? Does he nip fins or do you have any smaller fish that nip at him? Sorry to be so nosey I just want to make sure I build my little community right

I wouldn't say he is peaceful...he just makes sure any fish around him gets out of his way. He doesn't chase any of my other fish...again, unless they are in his path and they quickly just move away. I nicknamed him "Grump" because of the way his eyes make him look pissed off all the time.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Dwarf gouramis are easy to sex. If they're colourful, they're males; if they are silver with perhaps the hint of stripes in the neon blue variety, they're females. However, a lot of shops stock only males as "no-one wants the plain boring females".
This is one of the gourami species where the male can kill a female if he wants to breed and she doesn't. It is often suggested to get 2 females with a male - if the shop stocks females. And if tank size allows.

Dwarf gouramis bred in the far east are often infected with an incurable disease by the time they reach the shop. Examine all the fish in the tank carefully and if even just one of them doesn't look or behave 100%, don't buy any fish from that tank.

Doesn't count for the blue ones though. Males and females do look alike (color and shape)

 

[Essjay]

Interesting. I've only ever seen tanks with both blue (presumably males) and silver with a hint of stripes (presumably females) in shops near me.

 

[Slaphppy7]

See "Behavior & Compatibilty" and "Notes" here: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/trichogaster-lalius

FYI

 

[BrianK]

not blue but I have a dwarf gourami in with male guppies, amano shrimp, and celestial pearl danios. He doesn't bother any of them except when he swims around the tank, he expects them to get out of the way or he will literally swim right into them. I assume blues one are the same, male and female have different shaped fins in addition to the colors.