Gourami Breeding

[Neomeris]

I have a twenty gallon tank with guppies, platies, white cloud mountain minnows, khuli loaches. I will soon get a ten gallon with four zebra danios. And on top of all that jazz, I want to keep gouramis!!!!!!

I'm thinking about croaking gouramis, sparkling gouramis, or dwarf gouramis. I want to breed them. I was thinking that I would keep the female(s) separate from the male(s), so I wouldn't get a population explosion. Do I need to get more than one of each gender? If so, can I keep them separate, or do they need friends of their own kind? Do they need special conditioning food? Will I need to breed them in a separate tank or in the regular tank? Are their tank-mates to be compatible? Which kind of gourami should I get?

I am new to gouramis. Please show me what I need to do to care for these beautiful fish.

Oh, one more question: where can I get female gouramis? My LFS doen't carry them because they are quote "Colorless" unquote. However, they do carry female guppies. How does that justify itself?

Goodbye, I have to contemplate the fathomless depths of crazy fish-store personnel thinking.

Neomeris

 

[Neomeris]

Hello? Is any one out there?

Neomeris

 

[seizethecupcake]

From my understanding, it's very difficult to find female gouramis. I'm not an expert, by any stretch of the imagination, but from what I've read on the board and seen in LFS's, the females are far less easy to come by.

I believe there can be territory issues when males are kept together, so beware of that. I keep one blue dwarf gourami and he is VERY social. He gets along fabulously with my mean guppy (he's a real terrorist and can't be kept with any small fish) and my cories. Whenever I walk into the room, Skipper (my gourami) starts darting around the front of the aquarium looking for food. As far as tankmates, I don't see any problem with guppies, but I don't know about the other fish you mentioned, as I've never kept my kuhlis with my dwarf gourami. If I had to guess, I'd say it wouldn't be a problem.

As far as breeding information, I can't help you I have found some information, though, just by doing quick Google searches, so that may be the best place for you to start. Good luck in your search!

 

[Neomeris]

Thank you, Seizethecupcake! I went to a not-so-local LFS this morning, and the guy there said that keeping gouramis with danios was not a good idea because the danios would freak the poor little gourami out. Do you know of a gourami with interesting colors, short fins, and a non-freakout tendancy, or a unusual gourami-like fish that fits the bill that I could look at? This new LFS has pretty much everything under the sun, even female gouramis, so you could even suggest something rare-ish.

 

[seizethecupcake]

I'm partial to the powder blue dwarf males, though I've kept one of the "flame" dwarf males as well. He was in a tank with GloFish (danios, really) and didn't seem to be bothered by them. He just sort of pottered around the tank at his own pace, exploring and minding his own business. He didn't seem to be fussed with the danios at all, and I'll admit they can be quite boisterous at times! I don't think the associates at your not-so-local FS give these guys enough credit

 

[Caprichoso]

Thank you, Seizethecupcake! I went to a not-so-local LFS this morning, and the guy there said that keeping gouramis with danios was not a good idea because the danios would freak the poor little gourami out. Do you know of a gourami with interesting colors, short fins, and a non-freakout tendancy, or a unusual gourami-like fish that fits the bill that I could look at? This new LFS has pretty much everything under the sun, even female gouramis, so you could even suggest something rare-ish.

Honey Gourami are small, lively and can be kept in groups. I would suggest 3 females per male. They aren't as multi-coloured as the other ones you mentioned but they are easy to keep whereas the Sparkling and Croaking types are much more demanding. I like these gourami as well because you can keep them in a community tank with other fish without them becoming skittish.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Neomeris]

Thanks. I'm thinking honey gourami (thanks to you!!!) or croaking gourami. I wanted something colorful, and I dislike going into a pet store and them not having what I wanted (such as a croaking gourami) so I like to have a backup choice that is just as good. I wanted a choice a little off the beaten path.

 

[Neomeris]

Here's a link to where I'll write about my tank progress for a new tankdo-it-yourselfing

 

[Didge007]

I own a coral blue dwarf gourami male and I can tell you I doubt danios would bother him...he can be quiet a bully. He'll flare up at his own reflection! They are great little fish in my opinion and easy to keep - I'm no professional fish keeper! Trying to find him a female is ridiculous though