Sexing Thick Lipped Gourami's - I Got It Wrong!

[noodles]

thinking about getting thick lipped gourami's and want to know if there is any way to sex them easily? If I am going to get a small group of them, i dont want any agression issues!

cheers

 

[sylvia]

I suppose then that you're aiming for two or more females per male? Chances are you'll find even a different ratio works alright. These are one of the more peaceful species.

They are not difficult to sex if mature. Males are noticeably more colorful than females and have a very obviously more pointed and longer dorsal than females and a longer anal as well. Younger fish can be tricky but females are still generally duller and they have different body shapes - the males are slender and more 'streamlined' in appearance while the females are deeper-bodied and look plumper just by the gill area when viewed from above.

Make sure to not mistake a fish with dropsy for a female!

 

[noodles]

Make sure to not mistake a fish with dropsy for a female!

I hate dropsy! horrible thing - thanks for making me feel sick this early in the morning!

Well if its not too much of a concern then maybe I shouldnt be too worried. Just need to find some nice ones, having some trouble finding some nice coloured morphs actually, my lfs has some 'orange' ones that to me appear more muddy brown and not too appealing, and all the red ones have disappeared lately! Coupled with the fact that in the next door tank are some fine full coloured honey's my judgement is being clouded! oh the troubles of fish choosing!!

 

[nmonks]

Before parting with your cash for honey gouramis or dwarf gouramis, remember both those species are notoriously short-lived in the average aquarium. Of the two, the honey gourami is simply a demanding animal. It needs warm, preferably soft and acidic water conditions and no aggressive tankmates. Water quality should be excellent. Really, there's fish for the single-species tank, not the community, and certainly not a community with boisterous species like sharks, larger gouramis, angelfish, etc.

Dwarf gouramis are plagued with baterial and/or viral diseases. The fish farms that rear them maintain them in dense populations only by using masses of antibiotics, and once transferred to the retailer's aquarium, and then the home aquarium, they gradually succumb to the infection(s). No reliable cure is known. Talking things over with retailers as well as hobbyists, my impression is at least 50% of dwarf gouramis sold die within the six months, some in the retailer's tanks and some in the hobbyist's tanks. Few see their first birthday. Given these fish should be living around 3-4 years, this is obviously unacceptable.

However, because people still buy them, the retailers still stock them and the fish farms still produce them.

Thick-lipped and banded gouramis may be less brightly coloured than dwarf gouramis, honey gouramis, or the breeds/hybrids like robin gouramis, but they are a darn sight more robust and can be expected to live happy and healthy lives in your aquarium. They don't seem to get the dwarf gourami diseases. They mix well with all community fish and don't seem fussy about water chemistry, putting them well ahead of the honey gourami for the casual aquarist.

Cheers, Neale

 

[noodles]

well bought the bullit and replaced my platies with 3 orange thick lipped gourami's, a male and two females a few days ago....

or so i thought!

turns out that one of the two females was also a male, just obviously a young one!

so far not too much agression, a bit of displaying to each other lets hope they get on ok. they are a similar size so thats something.

Reckon I should just keep an eye on them and see what happens? or buy another female? I would have to rely on my selection being better than last time though! I could buy 2 more, but that would be pushing space a bit when they grow up so probably out of the question, and I would only end up with 4 males to 1 female anyway!!!

I could take one of the males back, but i am kinda already attached!!! any advice welcome!

 

[sylvia]

The best option is to take the larger male back and replace him with a female. I know how it is to become attached but do consider that you could be risking their lives if you don't do something. Actually, it's not the males I'd be worried about so much as the single female who'll eventually be the target of both males' attentions.

 

[noodles]

The best option is to take the larger male back and replace him with a female. I know how it is to become attached but do consider that you could be risking their lives if you don't do something. Actually, it's not the males I'd be worried about so much as the single female who'll eventually be the target of both males' attentions.

yes you probably are right - I think I kinda knew that really! oh well. although I am erring on the side of getting another female though. they are such nice fish!