Sexing A Gourami

[drufly]

I recently bought a chocolate gourami, i was wondering how you tell the difference between male and female.

I think it is nearly growing as it is nearly 2 inch long

 

[rocknurworld2006]

I recently bought a chocolate gourami, i was wondering how you tell the difference between male and female.

I think it is nearly growing as it is nearly 2 inch long

very difficult unless breeding

 

[drufly]

I was asking because i bought only 1 and he looks sad on his/her own. I am getting a new tank soon a 240ltr and was looking to get more for company.
Only thing is do not know which to get

 

[rocknurworld2006]

I was asking because i bought only 1 and he looks sad on his/her own. I am getting a new tank soon a 240ltr and was looking to get more for company.
Only thing is do not know which to get

u could buy more and wait for a pair off if they will

 

[Colin_T]

Males get slightly bigger but if they aren't all the same age it is nearly impossible to tell. Most people buy a group of 6-10 and let them pr off.

 

[drufly]

Daft me never researched into them and thought they got big like most gouramis, LFS never mentioned it either when i asked for a centre piece they told me 1 would be gr8.
Not listening to them again.

 

[Colin_T]

yeah 1 chocolate gourami would make a nice centre piece in an 18inch tank My friend used to breed them in 18 inch tanks and he would keep 6-8 adults in each tank. The tanks were full of plants and he just kept them well fed and did regular water changes. I wouldn't bother putting them into the 240litre tank because you won't see them.

 

[drufly]

No point getting more then, they are lovely fish just mine seems so nervous or something, thats why i was asking.

Even if i do get more would it matter if they were all male just incase/ would they fight like mad?

 

[Colin_T]

they don't fight like most gouramis and are considered quite peaceful but nervous and shy fish. They do take a while to settle down and must have clean water. They also prefer soft slightly acid water to live in but they do adapt to slightly alkaline water with a bit of hardness in.

 

[drufly]

Not too sure what the water is like, only got ph and nitrite tests. Nitrite 0 ph is 7.6

maybe justs needs to settle only had it about 2 weeks max

 

[Colin_T]

the Ph could be a bit high for it and it probably needs a little more time. If you don't have many plants in the tank then perhaps add a few more. Make sure the back of the tank is covered with something like an aquarium picture backing.

 

[drufly]

It certanly will have a background, cant stand looking at the wall paper thruogh the tank
cheers for the info.

I have another post out there about substrate any ideas on that plz read

 

[rocknurworld2006]

I recently bought a chocolate gourami, i was wondering how you tell the difference between male and female.

I think it is nearly growing as it is nearly 2 inch long

hi theres a good article about chocolate gouramis in todays pfk magazine about breeding, requirements etc