To Sparkle Or Not To Sparkle...

[jennybio]

...that's the question

My first post here and it's strangely enough a query

I've got a 30L tank that's calling out for a species set up and I am wanting to try gouramis of the smaller kind. Someone recommended sparkling gourami to me and I was wondering what sort of planting etc they'd like? I'm not one for going out and getting my fish before research and question time as I have read of too many people doing that and losing fish.

Heavy/medium/light planting....open spaces/hiding places?

As you can see from my siggy, I have plenty of fish and they're all happy and healthy. I spend my life cleaning tanks with my elbows in water, but I LOVE it. I've only got experience of my Betta and am itching to try gourami as I have always loved them. As it's a small set up I am limited with what I can go for.

I've seen some lovely specimens in one of my LFS - Tranquility Aquatics and also some stunners at Wholesale Tropicals in the opposite direction. Red Robin gourami and honeys are great, but I hear the dwarf guys can be a little 'chancey'?

So, first post is a long'un but I look forward to a few comments

 

[SouthernCross]

Yeah you'd only have to a quick search of this forum for dwarf gouramis and see some of the threads detailing all the problems various members here have had with them - that'll turn you off them quick smart. Unless you can get them from a breeder, it's not worth it.

I don't have any experience with sparkling gouramis myself but I think they are pretty! I'm pretty sure someone else had a thread about theirs not long ago so maybe if you do a forum search (especially of the gourami subforum) you'll be able to track some good stuff down.

An alternative that seems quite popular with some people around here are honey gouramis. They're only little and quite hardy too. But I don't have personal experience with them, I have pearls myself. My male is in my av.

Good luck!

 

[jennybugs]

An alternative that seems quite popular with some people around here are honey gouramis. They're only little and quite hardy too. But I don't have personal experience with them, I have pearls myself. My male is in my av.

Good luck!

Oh believe me, I've now read up and have been put off the dwarf gouramis

I saw a red robin gourami in my LFS and need to find more out about them...maybe they're a dwarf version.

Honeys are nice I have to admit, but I am looking forward to seeing these sparkling gourami in the flesh. My LFS has lots in I hear

Your male pearl is stunning