Hi all
I added a male and a female Pearl Gourami to my Aqua-One 90 litre tank 10 days ago. There were already 5 WCMMs and 3 Red Platies in there.
The female started feeding quite well almost straight away and although she seems a bit shy she appears to have settled in quite well. It's a bit of a different story with the male though - he spends most of his time at the back of the tank, but does venture out sometimes. I don't see that as a problem, but he also doesn't seem to be feeding all that well. At feeding times he just doesn't seem to be that bothered by the fact that there's food there, even if it floats by right in front of him. He does have the odd nibble, but that's all it is - the odd nibble. Maybe a mouthful per meal on average from what I can see. I try to wait until he's out and about until I put food in because if he's hiding at the back he quite often won't get to touch any of it before it's all eaten by the others.
I feed Tetra Pro Colour crisps for breakfast every morning and Tetra Pro Vegetable most evenings, but 2 or 3 evenings a week I feed frozen food instead - either bloodworm or beefheart. Mondays I don't feed anything. All the other fish love it all. He doesn't even seem to be all that bothered by the frozen food! I have tried putting in cucumber and courgette but all the fish seem to ignore that, including him.
I've done all that I can to make the tank as suitable as possible for Gouramis - there's tons of java fern, swords and Hygrophila in there, as well as floating plants. The flow of the filter outlet is directed so that the current in the tank is gentle.
My stats are currently (and have always been since adding him) Ammonia - 0, Nitrite - 0, Nitrate - 5-10, pH - around 7.5 (maybe slightly less). I live in a hard water area. The chemistry at my local Maidenhead Aquatics is very similar (5 minute drive away).
Although he doesn't look as though he's at death's door, I am worried about him. His colouring, although not 'drab' so to speak, is nowhere near as colourful as the photos of males I've seen (even ones that aren't brightly coloured orange from being in heat). Sometimes he paces up and down the tank glass (the female doesn't seem to do this). I think I may be doing something right because the female seems fine. All the other fish are active, healthy and hungry. All the fish ignore him, so as far as I can see there's no bullying going on. The male and female do spend quite a lot of time together, very peacefully. But then at feeding time she'll swim off and leave him to get food.
Anybody have any ideas if there's anything I could do to make him happier? I know it's fairly early days but even though this is my fist time keeping Gouramis, I think surely he should have settled in and be feeding well by now? Or are Pearls really that shy? I don't want him to get starved!
I keep the temperature at 24 C - is that too cold maybe? Are there any foods that he might go crazy for? I currently have the lights on for 10 hours a day - should I reduce that perhaps to give him some more relaxation time?
Thanks
p.s. I am aware that Pearls may be seen by some as being very slightly too big for my tank, but I will be keeping the stocking light - I only plan to add 4 or 5 Panda Corys in the new year and that's it.
I added a male and a female Pearl Gourami to my Aqua-One 90 litre tank 10 days ago. There were already 5 WCMMs and 3 Red Platies in there.
The female started feeding quite well almost straight away and although she seems a bit shy she appears to have settled in quite well. It's a bit of a different story with the male though - he spends most of his time at the back of the tank, but does venture out sometimes. I don't see that as a problem, but he also doesn't seem to be feeding all that well. At feeding times he just doesn't seem to be that bothered by the fact that there's food there, even if it floats by right in front of him. He does have the odd nibble, but that's all it is - the odd nibble. Maybe a mouthful per meal on average from what I can see. I try to wait until he's out and about until I put food in because if he's hiding at the back he quite often won't get to touch any of it before it's all eaten by the others.
I feed Tetra Pro Colour crisps for breakfast every morning and Tetra Pro Vegetable most evenings, but 2 or 3 evenings a week I feed frozen food instead - either bloodworm or beefheart. Mondays I don't feed anything. All the other fish love it all. He doesn't even seem to be all that bothered by the frozen food! I have tried putting in cucumber and courgette but all the fish seem to ignore that, including him.
I've done all that I can to make the tank as suitable as possible for Gouramis - there's tons of java fern, swords and Hygrophila in there, as well as floating plants. The flow of the filter outlet is directed so that the current in the tank is gentle.
My stats are currently (and have always been since adding him) Ammonia - 0, Nitrite - 0, Nitrate - 5-10, pH - around 7.5 (maybe slightly less). I live in a hard water area. The chemistry at my local Maidenhead Aquatics is very similar (5 minute drive away).
Although he doesn't look as though he's at death's door, I am worried about him. His colouring, although not 'drab' so to speak, is nowhere near as colourful as the photos of males I've seen (even ones that aren't brightly coloured orange from being in heat). Sometimes he paces up and down the tank glass (the female doesn't seem to do this). I think I may be doing something right because the female seems fine. All the other fish are active, healthy and hungry. All the fish ignore him, so as far as I can see there's no bullying going on. The male and female do spend quite a lot of time together, very peacefully. But then at feeding time she'll swim off and leave him to get food.
Anybody have any ideas if there's anything I could do to make him happier? I know it's fairly early days but even though this is my fist time keeping Gouramis, I think surely he should have settled in and be feeding well by now? Or are Pearls really that shy? I don't want him to get starved!
I keep the temperature at 24 C - is that too cold maybe? Are there any foods that he might go crazy for? I currently have the lights on for 10 hours a day - should I reduce that perhaps to give him some more relaxation time?
Thanks
p.s. I am aware that Pearls may be seen by some as being very slightly too big for my tank, but I will be keeping the stocking light - I only plan to add 4 or 5 Panda Corys in the new year and that's it.
