Gouramis..to Keep Or Not To Keep

[freddie21]

As in previous posts i have been asking for opinions on what colourful fish i could introduce to my tank...and i thought of gouramis - but after reading on the forum that gouramis such as dwarf ones are prone to bacterial diseases i am having second thoughts.
My local store has a range from dwarf gouramis, to large spotted ones and small red ones, and i am tempted, but am worried about the disease risk. Are the other gouramis listed above prone to this disease?
thanks

 

[biohazard156]

What size is the tank that the gourami would be going into? Honey gourami and their red variety are small, peaceful and colourful! .

 

[freddie21]

the tank is a fluval 90 litre....are them gouramis prone to disease like the dwarf ones?

 

[biohazard156]

They are not "dwarf" gouramis in that sense really, they are a different species so won't get the problems that the blue/red etc dwarfs get. My friend has one and it's a lovely wee fish .

Another very small species is sparkling gourami, I have 5 of them in my tank, very pretty when the light hits them right but not an in your face colour like a lot of them. If you're looking for colour, I'd go with a red honey one

 

[Noahs ark6]

I think you should go for it, i keep gouramis and they're lovely fish. As long as you keep your water crystal clear, you should be OK

 

[Ruskull]

The Dwarf varieties are the ones that get the dreaded Dwarf Gourami Disease. They are generally peaceful though...............and very beautiful.

The Three Spot varieties are the most hardy but they are also the most aggressive. Not a good mix with the Molly I had him in with.

Honey Gouramis are quite small but they are also good looking fish. I've never had them but I've heard they're not as hardy as Three Spots, Opaline, Gold, etc.

My personal favorite is the Pearl Gouramis since they're very hardy and much less aggressive than the Three Spots.

 

[freddie21]

i really like the pearl gouramis too . what size can i expect them to grow to?

 

[Ny82]

I have 2 small "honey gouramis" which is what they were labelled in the store. They are only about an inch or so in length and they are so comical to watch. My favourite is the opaline gourami-beautiful.

 

[freddie21]

in my local store i think the honey gouramis are labelled as 'red robins'...i think they are the honey ones..right?

 

[Ny82]

Well this is the confusion I had. The ones I have, I put a pic up on another forum and said my honey gouramis but was instantly corrected-quite rudely actually- that they aren't honeys at all but in fact a hybrid. How I was to know this I have no idea, it's what they were labelled. As is what a lot of the pics are on google
Here are the ones I am on about-my 2. Labelled honey gourami in the store.

 

[freddie21]

yeah they're whats at my local store labelled as red robins - they are lovely...how big do they grow again? will they be ok with my angelfish?

 

[Ny82]

I will quote this from the other forum i'm on.
"why is it that the so called sunset/red/ HoneyGourami always seems to end up being called the Honey Gourami.
Firstly its NOT a Honey Gourami at all but a Hybrid-Colisa Lukia.
It does Not have the colours or temprement of a Honey Gourami and is more like a dwarf Gourami in temorement with the true Honey being more placid"

Now this link confirms what it is, but it's the only site that does.

http/www.fishkeeping.co.uk/modules/myalbum0/photo.php?lid=158

This site shows the actual honey gourami and the "red morph" which is what I have.
http/badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile2.html
They only grow to about 3 inches or so. I don't know what they will be like with angel fish sorry. My 2 seem placid to each other-for now lol they do follow each other about and hang about together.

 

[Ruskull]

i really like the pearl gouramis too . what size can i expect them to grow to?

Pearls get about 4 or 5 inches long. I've heard of very rare 6 inch long Pearls but I'm sure that's pretty rare.

 

[freddie21]

would it be ok to get a pearl gourami and perhaps 1 or 2 honey/red ones?

 

[biohazard156]

If that's your stocking list as in your signature, I'd maybe say no to the pearl gourami, I think the angel might have have issues with it and you could be overstocked. Stick with smaller ones