Gourami W/ Discus
- Thread starter Fadi
- Start date
What is the 'nice variety of gourami' exactly? Which species? I want the scientific name.
Before buying ANY discus, go to the new world cichlids forum and ask about them. I'm shure you've heard that they can be quite tricky to keep but, more importantly, they ahve a lot of special requirements (eg: high temp., low pH) which other species of fish don't appreciate.
Also ask about the compatibility of angels - you'll probably be told by most not to mix discus and angels. I'd also suggest that, if you do, you don't go for just one angel but for 2. Single angels get nasty quickly and will stress the rest of the fish.
I'm also wandering what size tank this is going to be - it'll have to be pretty big!
Many gouramies would be fine with discus (and angels) as long as the tank is big enough. But there are also many that would be too aggressive, too prone to disease or even too peaceful to work out.
Before buying ANY discus, go to the new world cichlids forum and ask about them. I'm shure you've heard that they can be quite tricky to keep but, more importantly, they ahve a lot of special requirements (eg: high temp., low pH) which other species of fish don't appreciate.
Also ask about the compatibility of angels - you'll probably be told by most not to mix discus and angels. I'd also suggest that, if you do, you don't go for just one angel but for 2. Single angels get nasty quickly and will stress the rest of the fish.
I'm also wandering what size tank this is going to be - it'll have to be pretty big!
Many gouramies would be fine with discus (and angels) as long as the tank is big enough. But there are also many that would be too aggressive, too prone to disease or even too peaceful to work out.
Are you going to be using your current tank for the discus then?
1 Honey Gourami - Colisa chuna/sota
1 Angel Fish
2 Orange Mollies
3 Yellow Mollies
2 Firered Gourmami - Colisa lalia
2 Opaline Gourami - Trichogaster trichopterus
3 Dwarf Gourami - Colisa lalia
1 Pearl Gourami - Trichogaster leeri
1 Blue gourami - Trichogaster trichopterus
1 Black spotted Molly
2 Black gourami (not chocolate) - do you have a picture of this? Is it a paradisefish? describe this please.
Firstly, you're going to have to get rid of the mollies because they like hard water (even brackish) whereas discus like soft, acidic water.
Secondly, in a 60 gallon, you won't be able to keep 8 gouramies, 6 discus and an angelfish. Discus need 20 gallons per fish and like to be in groups - this sort of size tank could only realy sustain 3 and that's not ideal as far as a 'group' goes. Far better would be to obtain an adult breeding pair (though probably more expensive). Getting 3, BTW, is not a good diea as 2 could eventualy pair up and then bully the other.
I've already explained why the angel's not a good idea but I'll urge you again to go ask in the new world cichlids section.
Of your gouramies, Trichogaster trichopterus is too aggressive and, at the high temps. you'll be keeping the discus at, will be breeding constantly - which just leads to even mroe aggression (that's assuming you have a mixture of sexes).
Colisa lalia is prone to disease so is not a good candidate for keeping with discus.
Colisa chuna/sota could work with the discus but not so much with the angel(s). I personaly wouldn't risk adding it at all - due to the size difference.
Trichogaster leeri should work fine with discus and angels but make sure the tank is planted nciely or has lots of places where the pearls can hide. In particular, tall or floating plants are important.
I have no diea what the 'black gourami' is - this is not a common name I've heard of. I suspect it's either a paradisefish (in which case it's unsuitable for a discus tank) or it's another Trichogaster trichopterus color morph that's been mis-named. A picture would be hugely helpful.
Gouramies that would be ideal for a discus tank are the moonlight gourami (Trichogaster microlepis) because they are peaceful and hardy but large enough to deal with any aggression from the discus and chocolate gouramies (Sphaericthys osphromenoides) because they have similar requirements and will tend to stay out of the discus' way. However, I wouldn't reccomend chocolate because they are even more fragile than discus and need to be in groups - I'd personaly dedicate a tank to these rather than to discus
1 Honey Gourami - Colisa chuna/sota
1 Angel Fish
2 Orange Mollies
3 Yellow Mollies
2 Firered Gourmami - Colisa lalia
2 Opaline Gourami - Trichogaster trichopterus
3 Dwarf Gourami - Colisa lalia
1 Pearl Gourami - Trichogaster leeri
1 Blue gourami - Trichogaster trichopterus
1 Black spotted Molly
2 Black gourami (not chocolate) - do you have a picture of this? Is it a paradisefish? describe this please.
Firstly, you're going to have to get rid of the mollies because they like hard water (even brackish) whereas discus like soft, acidic water.
Secondly, in a 60 gallon, you won't be able to keep 8 gouramies, 6 discus and an angelfish. Discus need 20 gallons per fish and like to be in groups - this sort of size tank could only realy sustain 3 and that's not ideal as far as a 'group' goes. Far better would be to obtain an adult breeding pair (though probably more expensive). Getting 3, BTW, is not a good diea as 2 could eventualy pair up and then bully the other.
I've already explained why the angel's not a good idea but I'll urge you again to go ask in the new world cichlids section.
Of your gouramies, Trichogaster trichopterus is too aggressive and, at the high temps. you'll be keeping the discus at, will be breeding constantly - which just leads to even mroe aggression (that's assuming you have a mixture of sexes).
Colisa lalia is prone to disease so is not a good candidate for keeping with discus.
Colisa chuna/sota could work with the discus but not so much with the angel(s). I personaly wouldn't risk adding it at all - due to the size difference.
Trichogaster leeri should work fine with discus and angels but make sure the tank is planted nciely or has lots of places where the pearls can hide. In particular, tall or floating plants are important.
I have no diea what the 'black gourami' is - this is not a common name I've heard of. I suspect it's either a paradisefish (in which case it's unsuitable for a discus tank) or it's another Trichogaster trichopterus color morph that's been mis-named. A picture would be hugely helpful.
Gouramies that would be ideal for a discus tank are the moonlight gourami (Trichogaster microlepis) because they are peaceful and hardy but large enough to deal with any aggression from the discus and chocolate gouramies (Sphaericthys osphromenoides) because they have similar requirements and will tend to stay out of the discus' way. However, I wouldn't reccomend chocolate because they are even more fragile than discus and need to be in groups - I'd personaly dedicate a tank to these rather than to discus
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