Can You Tame Your Gourami?

[DiddleBug]

I have this male dwarf gourami who isn't very scared of me.  When i put my hand (just the fingers)in for a bit he came up and let me stroke his side once before he swam off.  Now he lets me pet him fairly often and he's not that scared of me.  Can you actually tame these guys?  i know some large goldfish and cichlids can become very friendly, but I never heard of gouramis being that tame.    

 

[Chad]

Yes and no. It all depends on just what you classify as tame. Many fish are quite intelligent and learn quickly where the food comes from and that you won't harm them. Puffers are an especially go example of this. They can be trained to do basic tricks as well as respond to their owners. Betta get to know the face that peers at them through the glass. My fish, in both my marine and FW tanks know when feeding time is and where the food enters and begin to gather there around feeding time. There really are countless examples of fish responding is ways that demonstrate intelligence. But what does it mean to be tame? If it means no longer wild, I would say they never really reach that stage but if it means "friendly" toward human beings I say yes.

 

[stanleo]

Lucky, I love my DG but after 18 months he is still skittish. When I look into the tank up close he stays in the back out of sight and I can only watch him from a distance. I always heard they were very shy.
 
I agree though that no matter what a fish can never be domesticated. That takes evolution and fish haven't been bred in captivity that long.