What Is This?

[fishwatcher]

I was in a store yesterday that sells fish (along with clothes, toys etc... you know the one!). Anyway, I always look at the fish when I go in there. Yesterday I saw a gourami I've never seen before. It looked similar to a dwarf in the shape of it, but it was quite a bit larger... about an inch higher and at least an inch longer. He was colored very dark gray, with dark red vertical stripes (similar to a dwarf). The anal fin had a dark but bright red stripe all along the tip of it. It also had kind of a squished looking face, like his mouth didn't quite come out from his face as far as most gouramis. Looked kind of like he'd run into a wall, and his mouth didn't bounce back into shape.
I wish I'd had a camera with me, as I've not been able to find a picture like it. It was in a tank with a bunch of gold gouramis. I almost wish I had bought it just so I could identify it. I probably would have too, except it had about a 5 inch long string of white poo coming out. I wish I had just rescued it now, though.
So, any ideas what it is???


ETA: I found a photo that is extremely similar to the one I saw. I think it may be banded gourami, but the ones I've seen other pix of are much lighter colored than this on the body. What do y'all think?

http/www.igl-home.de/bilder/fasciata.jpg

 

[Gill]

indian banded gourami, can get very large.

 

[Heather.]

That is identical to my gourami..Only mine hasnt got big just fat .. lol

 

[fishwatcher]

I've been looking for one of these, but the lfs can't seem to get one. I wonder if it would be worth trying to medicate the one at Walmart for the internal parasite it has, or if it will just likely die anyway?

That is identical to my gourami..Only mine hasnt got big just fat .. lol

Is yours a banded gourami? Do you have any pictures of it? I think they only get to about 4". Not too big compared to other fish.

 

[sylvia]

It may not have actually had any itnernal parasites dispite the white poo. It might be worth buying it but quarantining for a week to make sure anything it might have doesn't get passed on and use this time to treat as a precaution.

I agree that that's a banded BTW. They are often called 'giant' gouramies because they are the largest in their genus (Colisa) but you are right, of course, they only grow to 4". Some people confuse them with the true giant gourami - the Osphronemus goramy. These are HUGE

Search google images for thick-lipped gourami as well as they look quite similar to bandeds and you might have actually seen one of those. The color of either species can vary and stressed ones often look quite 'washed out'.

 

[fishwatcher]

Ok, thanks! I may just go by there tomorrow and hope they still have him!

 

[Heather.]

No I havnt got a picture of my gourami..He/she is very shy always hides at the back of the tank when im around..If I get the chance I will try and get a pic I used to have a moonlight gourami and it grew very very big

 

[sylvia]

Moonlights grow to 7". Big-ish, yes, but not as big as Osphronemus species
Look:
http/www.drpez.com/graf/col134e.jpg
http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anab...WFA_Ap4AAf1.jpg
http/www.osphronemus.com/
You just have to love them!

Of the species most often sold at LFSs, the kissing gourami grows the largest (can get up to 12" - usually more like 10").

 

[Heather.]

Wow They are massive sylvia..Didnt think that you got gouramis that big...

 

[newtotropical]

Now thats a fish!!!!!!

 

[sylvia]

Lol - yeah, I absolutely love them! As you can see from my signature, I really want one too If only I had a tank big enough!

 

[gettotank110]

mabe it was a hybrid between a powder blue gourami and a paridise gourami is what it looks like. iv had many hybrids of gouramis that i bought at that nation wide store that u were talking about (lol) and i think its because were they buy their fish from may just be a real crappy fish farm .who knows but iv never seen one like wuts in ur pic

 

[fishwatcher]

I got him! He was still there, and I got him for $3.49, which I think was a deal. I'll post a pic of him soon. He seems to be ok, his poop is a little stringy, but it's normal color now, not white like it was at the store. He's quite a looker, if I do say so myself.

 

[gettotank110]

thats cool i hope he stays healthy and yes post a pic a soon as possible i wana see this little guy

 

[fishwatcher]

OK, here's a picture of him. He's in a 5-gal tank by himself for another few days, then if he still checks out fine he'll be put into a 30-gal.
So, is he a banded?

Thanks for all the help with him!


ETA: he gets darker sometimes, lighter sometimes. Haven't figured out the rhyme or reason to it yet. In this pic he's a bit lighter.