Risking It......

[AllenLeicester]

Ive been consenplating over whether to get Dwarf Gouramis in my new tank? Ive just heard so much bad things about them, but they are beautiful looking fish! What do you lot think?

Also are i saw a tank with Blue Gouramis in it , Are they Dwarf Blue Gourami ?

 

[-germ-]

Powder blue or neon blue dwarf gourami...
IMHO they are not worth the risk due to DGIV unless you can guarantee they are from good sources, in fact i'll stick a linkin my sig to a post i made that contained a few links involving DGIV.
On top of that some you'll get are fairly aggressive, they are territorial and you often hear about them causing endless grief for their owners.
I'd get honeys.....

 

[AllenLeicester]

Just says Blue Gourami, My LFS says his has never had a problem with and disease!

Think i might go for it , I love them

 

[-germ-]

Maybe a 3-spot gourami, do some research and cross reference the fish you have seen with pics online.
I reckon the vast majority of LFS would say that.
If it is a 3 spot then its unlikely to be at risk from DGIV.

 

[poopsydrew]

Just says Blue Gourami, My LFS says his has never had a problem with and disease!

Think i might go for it , I love them

My bet is that it is still the dwarf species. I wouldnt buy the dwarf its not worth it. And there is no way you could ever know how many diseases that fish store has had. And I guarantee they have diseases more often than not. Dealing with that much fish its impossible not to. I say dont risk it, so many better species of gourami.

Drew

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Aww I love my dwarf neon blue gourami. He's the most interactive fish that is in our tank right now as he loves to eat from my fingers and swim around my arm while I'm doing maint in the tank. Other fish do it too, but not nearly as much as he does. I have heard a lot of complaints about the decline in quality of Dwarf Gourami's lately...increasingly prone to parasites and diseases etc. Try getting one from a reputable breeder and you may have more luck. ^^

 

[poopsydrew]

Aww I love my dwarf neon blue gourami. He's the most interactive fish that is in our tank right now as he loves to eat from my fingers and swim around my arm while I'm doing maint in the tank. Other fish do it too, but not nearly as much as he does. I have heard a lot of complaints about the decline in quality of Dwarf Gourami's lately...increasingly prone to parasites and diseases etc. Try getting one from a reputable breeder and you may have more luck. ^^

Nothing against the fish itself or anything of course, hope I didnt offend you. Just like you said almost all are diseased. I should have mentioned that if you could find a reputable breeder that would decrease the chance of disease. Good idea I have found all gouramis to be one of the best fish to hand feed. If I just stick my finger in they nibble at it like theres no tomorrow

Drew

 

[-germ-]

Just a couple of helpful points,
Gourami have always been linked with parasites, it isn't really due to a recent decline, i've read a few old books on anabantoids one from the 60-70s can't remember, and they all mention common parasitic infection with gourami, although non-lethal.
The main thing to watch for in connection with DGIV, or at least it seems this way, is that it has not been imported, bred or kept with fish from Singapore.

Yeah gourami are very good eaters...