Does My Little Dwarf Gourami Need A Friend?

[guppiegirlie]

I had two little dwarf gouramis in my 180litre tank, unfortunately one got sick and died. Does my other need a friend? He seems to be doing just fine on his own but looks a little lonely!

In my tank at the min I have 8 female guppies, 8 white fin bentosi tetras, 6 neon tetras, 7 platys, 4 German blue rams, 1 albino bristle nose plec, and a lonely little khuli loach (I know he needs friends I just haven't seen any in my lfs for ages) and last but not least my little gourami.

As I said he seems to be getting on just fine he was always the stronger one out of the two and tends to hang around with the bentosi.

Will he be OK on his lonesome?

 

[TallTree01]

Gouramis aren't social, dwarves particularly so. No need to get him another male. You could get him a pair of female dwarf gourami companions but finding females in store is rare as the males are more vibrantly colored and commonly sold.

 

[guppiegirlie]

Thank you TallTree01, that's made me feel a bit better about him being on his own! I'm just so used to having little groups of fish rather than one little loner lol

I'll keep my eyes open for some little female for him but as you said that they come in my lfs once in a blue moon. Thanks again

 

[NickAu]

 
I'll keep my eyes open for some little female for him but as you said that they come in my lfs once in a blue moon.

You can ask LFS to order one or two in for you,  My male Lace Gourami loved it when I got him a girlfriend.

 

[Alasse]

Male dwarfs do fine on their own......
 
I do however have 4 of them in the same planted tank, they all get along pretty good i must say

 

[Bazouteast]

Talking of pairing fishes.....
I went to TWO shops today to buy a female Dwarf Gourami and a pair of Honey Gouramis. Both shops said they no longer sell females - there is only demand for the colourful males. (No demand? What am I - a mirage?).  What bothers me about this is-
1. Fishes well-being might depend on being able to pair off. A pair ready to breed will never look better.
2. Many females will probably be destined for breeding programmes, but doubtful they all would. So what happens to the rest?
3. It prevents hobbyists studying the fascinating breeding behaviour and life cycle of these lovely fishes.
 - it also looked to me as if one of the shops has artificially-coloured fish too. it all smacks of the worst kind of profiteering.

 

[TallTree01]

It's quite twisted really. As with almost all ornamental fish, the ones that aren't colorful enough for sale or breeding are either culled or sold as feeder fish. As the female dwarf gouramis are so much less colorful than males the vast majority of fish keepers would prefer to have males over females. I know of a few online stores which sell female dwarves, but not any local fish shops I've seen.

 

[Asteria]

I love the gouramis. And I think the females are just as pretty. 
My lfs will.order you females or 'pairs' but tend to hold the males only. But they will let you know about the females. However notany places do this and it's sad. 
As my female got a lovely blue shimmer to her and even orange too when they were breeding. I almost thought she was a minor male. But then I caught my babies spawining. Only for me to go on holiday and they both died  
 
You could find him a female. But the males are usually fine on their own also. Females not so much. I've had two breeding pairs now. I lost myale first the second time and then the female after from heart break she got so upset. 
I've also had this happen with another set of fish. Loosing the male then list my female through depression and heart break.