Just Got A Blue Gourami, I Think It's Female

[smmetz]

I have been meaning to get a blue (three-spot) gourami for a little while, and finally got around to picking one up today. Since I only wanted one, I heard it was better to get a male, as they are less sociable with their own species anyway.

Anyway, the lfs owner didn't know how to sex them. After getting the fish in the tank, I googled a bit. Due to it's fin shape, I am thinking it looks female.

Here is the tank stock:

20 gallon - Aquaclear 50 filter, sand - 6 male platy(1.5 inch), 1 bristlenose plec(3-4 inch), added 1 blue gourami(3 inch) - I think it's female

The platies are fully grown, even though they are only 1.5 inches. They are all males, which are smaller than females.
I doubt the BN plec will get much bigger either.

Anyway, considering that - would you recommend I :

1. Leave the stocking as is
2. get one or two more female blue gourami to keep the first one company
3. exchange the female for a male, which might appreciate the solitude more

BTW, this tank has been up for about 10 months.

 

[TammyLiz]

IMO she will be fine. The females are territorial as well. I have noticed they do not like to be in a tank completely alone, it makes them nervous, but the platies and plec should make her comfortable.

I like my female gouramis. In fact, I prefer them to the male. I think they have more personality.

In a 20 gallon tank adding more would be a mistake as there would not be enough room for them to establish separate territories. It might work but likely not.

 

[smmetz]

Oh boy. My 20 gallon tank is at work - I have the lights on a timer and an automtic feeder. Last Tuesday I got that new 3 inch long blue gourami. Things were OK when I left work Thursday. I got to work today, and 4 out of 6 platy are dead!

Im testing for Nitrite now, just in case. I'll have to wait til tomorrow to test for ammonia, seems that both my ammonia kits are at home.

Anyway, is it possible this gourami is just not as peaceful as they usually are? I know 20 gallons is on the small side for a gourami, but I didn't think it was so cramped it would cause aggression problems. Comments?

 

[Biulu]

Oh boy. My 20 gallon tank is at work - I have the lights on a timer and an automtic feeder. Last Tuesday I got that new 3 inch long blue gourami. Things were OK when I left work Thursday. I got to work today, and 4 out of 6 platy are dead!

Im testing for Nitrite now, just in case. I'll have to wait til tomorrow to test for ammonia, seems that both my ammonia kits are at home.

Anyway, is it possible this gourami is just not as peaceful as they usually are? I know 20 gallons is on the small side for a gourami, but I didn't think it was so cramped it would cause aggression problems. Comments?

Are you sure you have a female? Most shops sell males, and females are harder to come by. Maybe you can post a picture?

Blue gouramis are one of the most agressive ones, but 20 gallons should be ok for one. Please test the water, the fact that you saw them dead, means that at least they were not eaten by the gourami!

 

[sylvia]

Blue (three-spot) gourami females aren't rare. They look almost identical to males in every respect except a slightly smaller size and rounded dorsal - so LFS stock them just as readily as males and no one bothers to sort through them before shipping them to LFSs either.

A picture would still be a good idea if there's any chance it's a male. However, even females are aggressive and your platy deaths could well be due to this new addition.

One other possibility is that you introduced a disease to your tank either with the LFS water or with the gourami. Things like ich and velvet (which aren't always visible) are more likely to affect livebearers like platies than gouramies. Three-spots are exceptionaly hardy gouramies so something that will kill platies may not kill them immediately (though most platies are also hardy - what variety are they? The 'fancier' ones tend to be more fragile).