gouramis

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

can you keep all forms of gourami together like for example 2pearls , 2 three spots and 2 dwarfs together - just curious as i am thinking of a species tank

thanks in advance

 

[sylvia]

That depends on the size of the tank, if you have any prefferences for what sex (males are usualy brighter and have longer fins for example - though it depends on the species) and on the number of each you'd preffer to keep keep. Also, 2 of each wouldn't be the best plan. Besides this, a tank containing only these types of gourami would be rather out of balance as they all preffer to spend their time at the top.

Should add that mixing different gouramies is not a 'species tank'. A species tank is one that only contains a single species of fish - each of those 3 gouramies are a difefrent species. So an all-pearl tank would be a species tank but a tank containing both pearls and three-spots would actualy be a community.
Anyway, that doesn't realy matter.

With the 3 fish you asked about specificaly, yes, theoreticaly you could mix them. Idealy, you'd want to have a trio of dwarfs, a trio of pearls and 3 female three-spots. That would require around a 90 gallon (you could get away with less however because you only have 2 males in the tank and both the pearls and dwarfs are quite peaceful) and the bottom layers would be left pretty much empty for other fish. You could put croakers or sparklers or one of the more peaceful spiketailed paradisefish there provided you planted heavily to accomodate them and give them a place to hide - from the three-spots specificaly. 5 of each of those would work. You'd still have some room for bottom-dwellers and some small schooling fish. I'm assuming the tank is a 90 gallon though.

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

ok thanks