Gouramis And Anabantoids

[Ludwig Venter]

In the early 1970's, I saw Chocolate Gouramis in our local pet store for the first time, but was warned by the pet shop owner that they are sensitive and difficult to keep. Since I was inexperienced at the time and because they were relatively expensive as "experimental" fish, I did not brave the challenge of keeping any.
Subsequently, having expanded to more than 40 tanks and thousands of fish (including "sensitive" Discuss) I feel qualified to risk keeping these, but I have not seen any around since that time...... Does anyone know if they are still available as aquarium pets or have their sensitivity made them unsuitable for "amateur" keeping??

 

[Colin_T]

You can still get chocolate gouramis but they are seasonal and only turn up for a few months a year. Many are wild caught and they are probably more sensitive than discus. Having said that they do well if they survive the first few weeks. Keep them in soft acid water and feed them well. They rarely touch flake or dry food so you should start culturing daphnia and mozzie larvae (it is illegal to culture mozzies in most countries) and hatch out brineshrimp. Buy a group and keep them warm and watch out for whitespot and fungal infections.
You might have to put an order in with your local fish shop as many shops won't carry them because of their requirements. If your LFS gets some in for you then pick up the fish on the day they come in. Take them straight out of the esky and take them straight home. If they go into the shop tank and then your tank they will suffer more stress than going straight into your tank.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Thanks Collin...... and WOW!!!..... looking at your profile I'll believe anything you say..... If you don't mind, I'm gonna take the liberty to add you to "my friends"' list

Regards,

Ludwig.

 

[dnn3]

i have 1.i have been waiting for 2 months for my lfs to get another one.i love it.i call it my little cutie pie.it loves daphnia and gets very excited at feeding time.i was also told they are very sensitive but i have not had any problems.i've even moved since i got it and it's just fine.i would definately recommend one.please let me know if you get one and how it turns out.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Hi Dnn3..... I'm very keen to get hold of at least 6 or 8 of these (just to ensure that there'd be at least representation of both sexes) and for this reason, I'll appreciate if you could tell me a bit more...i.e. are they timid & hiding or are they confident "foreground" fish; what tankmates; do you treat your water etc.etc. (Basic things) I know having one does not make you an expert, but I am extremely fanatical & really want to know more about them. The few I saw in the 70's were so BEAUTIFUL!!

 

[dnn3]

he's in with an interesting mix.1 fire belly newt,1 eastern newt,a pair of blue rams,1 angelic botia loach,1 horse face loach,3 mollies,a pair of swordtails,and a rubber lip plec.i wouldn't say mine is timid or a foreground fish,he just does his own thing.i don't do anything special to my water,i just make sure it's at a temperature he likes.here's a pic of him,it's not that clear though.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Thanks DNN3..... The photo is clear enough to re-stimulate my wanting.... The good book says "Thou shalt not envy", but oh boy! is that not the most beautiful creature you've ever seen..... Looks like you've got a female??. Please anyone, where can I get a couple of these..... I'll find out about the imports protocol if anyone can just give me a concrete source to order from.... I live in South Africa in Thabazimbi (meaning "Mountain of Iron") Limpopo Province.

 

[Colin_T]

most suppliers in Asia, (Indonesia, Singapore & Thailand) have them for sale. If you google fish suppliers you should be able to find one. (I think we used Sanyo Aquariums & Molly Aquariums but not sure if they still exist, it was a while ago). However, most exporters want to sell you hundreds of fish so you might have trouble finding one that will send you small numbers. The other thing would be to find an aquarist in Asia that can get you some and send them to you.
Alternatively go for a holiday to Indonesia and visit the aquarium fish markets in the morning. Then you can buy whatever you want and take them back with you when you leave.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Colin T ............. A holiday in Indonesia sounds inviting (and I knew you'd come up with the right answer), but with the current Rand/Dollar exchance rate it'll be better do do the "hundreds of fish order" from Sanyo Aquariums. I'm actually hoping that I'm not the only South African member to this forum and someone local will suggest an economical sollution to my intense yearning....... They've got to be available somewhere in this country... Unless someone out there with a lot of these sees my plea and agrees to direct post at a marketed rate?

 

[Colin_T]

lol, looks like you should become a fish importer and get hundreds of fish in from Singapore then. It could be a new career for you
Ludwig's Fish Emporium
the finest fishes from Asia and throughout the world

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Yes Colin T.... It's a proposition, but whilst I have your regular feedback on these Chocolate Gouramis, won't you have a look at my Plecostomus plea..... If anyone would have the answer for me on that one, I believe it would be you. (I do this again on this topic, I'll be accused of "bumping", which probably would be correct, cause I'm getting progressively more anxious for some Chocolates).

 

[Colin_T]

I've posted most of what I know about breeding plecos on your thread

Just contact one of the Asian suppliers and get yourself a couple of hundred chocy gouramis. Then you can kill them all and hate the damn things
You can get sparkling and licorice gouramis too. They're nice little fish. And maybe some of the different betta species, perhaps Betta imbellis, pugnax or coccinea.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

I,m bumping here, only because I'm still desperately looking for a coupla chocolates.....I am now confident that I'll be able to keep them and perhaps be successful in breeding 'em... (unlike other Gouramis, I believe they are mouthbreeders.) Unless you know different?