Dwarf Gouramis

[Deano]

Just gor myself a pair of dwarf gouramis, one male and one female

Is this ratio ok?

Also how easy are they to breed?

 

[IovaykInD]

What size tank do you have them in? It would be better if you had two females because the male will harrass the females. If you have two females, then the agression would be spread out. With the right conditions, the male will start to build a bubble nest, and when ready to breed, he will approach the female and do a dance for her. If the female is ready too, she will go under the nest and then the male will flip her over and squeeze the eggs out of her. Dwarf gouramis are not hard to breed, but the fry are hard to raise. You will need to feed infurosia, or egg yolk until they are large enough to feed things such as microworms or vinegar eel.

Isaac

 

[Deano]

I have them in my 30 gallon as in my sig

The male at the moment is around 2 1/2 inches in size..do they grow much bigger than this?

 

[IovaykInD]

That's about as big as it will grow. You have a lot of space, you could add another female if you want to. As a matter of fact, you should add another female.

 

[sylvia]

Though I agree with the fact that adding another female would be much better, I disagree with 'you have a lot of space' - you do not. Angels with dwarf gouramies is, in itself, risky. Looking at the, active, golden barbs you have, the rummies that are going to get eaten (and are in too small a group) and the plec (which is probably a large-growing one - and deffinately high waste-producing), you'd be better off returning the dwarf gouramies altogether. You need to increase the school size for the tetras and consider what you're going to do about the possible future angel-dwarf clash that will occur if those angels breed...

edit: Breeding them is not possible in a community tank like yours. A heavily planted tank with only some bottom dwellers and very weak current may work but a seperate breeding tank (prefferable) with a sponge filter, heater, bare bottom, tight-fitting cover and lights. Plus tiny food ready for when the fry are free-swimming (infusoria at first, then baby brine shrimp, microworms, vinegar eels, egg-layer liquid foods or, possibly, messy egg-yolk and, finaly, later powdered and crushed flake). You also need to consider the necessity for a grow-out tank and what you'll do with all the fry and, of course, take into consideration that these are not very forgiving fish and won't tolerate terrible water quality as a result of over-stocking/over-crowding fry. Dwarf gouramies are otherwise simple to breed and will do so readily at a temp. of about 80 deg F in water with a pH between 6 and 8 and if there are some floating plants (or other objects - eg: styrofoam cup cut lengthways!) in the water and nearly no current. Clean water and minnimal stress are, of course, essential. Conditioning with live foods, at the same time seperating the male from the female, also helps.

 

[Deano]

Thanks for the info

I will bear that in mind for when the Angels get bigger...they are only babies at the moment

In a few months i am planning on getting a bigger tank of around 60 gallons and will be transferring all fish into there

I will be keeping my 30 gallon running as a breeding tank