Easier To Keep: Sparkling Or Honey Gouramis?

[Elrohirthehasty]

Self explanatory title: which is easier to keep of the two?  I'm talking in general.  Are one or both "finicky"?

 

[ncguppy830]

there 2 of the easier to keep gouramis because i think there less prone to disease.soarkling gouramis are smaller and therefore can be kept in a "smaller" tank, the same goes for honey gourmis as they dont grow large either(1.5 in). Ive only kept honeys and from what i see there easy to care for. I think it comes down to which you like better although others might think otherwise.

 

[MBOU]

Pretty much as above! Both are relatively easy species to keep!!
 
Few things I have noted about both...
 
-Both are easy to keep, tolerant of tank mates and water conditions (I have a lone male sparling in a 380L tank with 30 tiger parbs, golden eye cichlids, cherry barbs and loaches... he is called Larry... he is always happy!)
 
-Honey gouramis seem to do well as male/female pairs (multiple pairs possible if pairs introduced a few weeks apart so they are established pairs.. but also seem to do just as well as bachelor groups of males! Depending on what is available as females seem harder to find at this time of year imo...
 
-Both benefit from being wormed at least a week or two after you buy them with Kusuri Discus Wormer (whole tank benefits unless you hve inverts)... and twice a year dosing is better..  but if either species are going to die,, I find its usually parasites or effects of..
 
-Sparkling Gourami males tend to be really quite boisterous! Keep pairs or better stil 1:2 or 1:3 groups (male:female ratio)

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

Thanks, good info.  I suppose it will come down to what my LFS has or can order.
 
So, from what i hear, 2 male honeys would be okay together if they don't have females. And Sparklings should have a ratio.
 
How's this for a 20 gallon long tank?
- 2 honey gourami
- 10 ember tetra
- 5 chain loach
 
Seem reasonable?

 

[ncguppy830]

well it sounds good but male honeys are agressive and they need space to set up Territories i think that the size should be good for 2 but you run the risk.

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

well it sounds good but male honeys are agressive and they need space to set up Territories i think that the size should be good for 2 but you run the risk.

 
I see....well I'll keep thinking about it.  I'm still at least a month away from even purchasing hardware for this tank.  (as you can tell I'm just trying to come up with stocking options on multiple posts) Cheers.
I could go bigger, but in general I want to do a smaller tank because I like the challenge, and it'll only be set up for two years before I'll have to sell/break it down.

 

[DreamertK]

Ooh I've seen some sassy honies at the LFS. Just remember that the females have a dark line from head to toe while the males have a dark chest. Try to watch them in the LFS to see which are the bossy ones.

 

[Shelster]

I have owned both in the past and I would vouch for honeys, I had trouble with my sparklers. Dominance issues, I think I ended up with a load of males they didn't have enough room for territories, despite the tank being heavily planted

I now have five honeys in a 180 litre. One male (profile pic) and four females (sig pic)

 

[daizeUK]

Oh I didn't know that was a female honey in your sig.  She's lovely, I always thought the females were dull.
I always check on the gouramis in my local MA but their honeys are always a mucky brown colour.  I wonder why.  I've only seen yellow ones in Pets at Home.

 

[Shelster]

I would say the females are more of a lemon yellow, with grey line from eye through to tail fin. You can see it well in the sig pic.

My male is much more of a brighter?? Yellow with grey area under mouth and red towards the tail.

They are my favourites in the tank

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

Isn't the wild color variation more of a dark orange with black bottom?  If I got honey's I'd probably go for that coloration.

 

[MBOU]

The Yellows seemed to be *really* hard to source at the moment for some reason! Seen some stunning red honeys though! But yes, Wild type the females are effectively grey with yellow hues to the fins and a dark stripe, the males come up a reddy brown colour, they seem to take longer to colour up but they will.

 

[daizeUK]

So when I see those brownish honeys in MA would they actually colour up into reds?  That would explain it.

 

[Shelster]

Are the brownish ones the chocolate ones, or just female dwarf gouramis?

 

[daizeUK]

They were labelled as honey gouramis, I thought they looked quite disappointing because I automatically think of the bright yellow fish in your sig when I hear honey!