Anabatids Compatability

[Fish-Addict]

Could a Siamese fighting fish be kept with a dwarf gourami or honey gouramis?

[cam191919]

probably not the best idea. somebody would be beat to death, IMO

[Nolapete]

I've never had any problems keeping them together, but I'm sure some with say they won't get along. I've kept siamese fighting fish with dwarfs and with honeys.

[Nolapete]

probably not the best idea. somebody would be beat to death, IMO

Are you saying that from experience or just repeating the myth that someone else has said?

[cam191919]

experience, female betta ripped a dwarf gourami to shreds in one of my first 29 gallon community tanks. i said it was my opinion that this would happen, im not trying to disprove anyone...

[Nolapete]

I was just wondering because a lot of people have the opinion that a male betta won't get along with any gouramis because it is nasty towards other male bettas. I've found that because of their long fins they tend to be the victim rather than the aggressor in a community setting.

[Slappy*McFish]

I agree, Bettas are usually the victims in aggressive disputes/fin nipping when they do occur. Anabantids can be kept together, but don't be surprised if they quarrel from time to time.

[sinner41265]

I've kept a Dwarf Gourami with several female bettas, and never saw much aggression other than a little chasing. Never saw any ripped fins, other than what the bettas did to each other during their frequent squabbles. Make sure you don't try this combination in small tanks tho, I had them in a 38 gallon.

Several territorial fish + small tank = Disaster :headshake2:

[HannahJ]

I kept a female betta with a male dwarf gourami without too much trouble. He would chase her some, but he chased everyone he could, so that didn't mean much. A similar attempt with my male betta failed miserably, but then again, this male betta hasn't played nice with any tankmates, so I dunno about him. It's certainly worth a shot, depending on how docile they seem, but I wouldn't get your hopes up.

[saram521]

Right now I have a 20h with various fish, among them being a female betta and dwarf male gourami. I have had them together for about a month, and so far I've seen the female betta's anal fin slightly torn, but it has completely healed quickly, in a matter of a couple of days. They seem to ignore each other when I'm observing them, they'll cross paths and not even care. I don't know for sure that the gourami is tearing the betta's fins. The other fish in with them are harlequins, a gbr m/f pair and cories. The female is also full of eggs, she is so fat where her ventral fins are. It's def. not dropsy, I know what that looks like. I can take a pic if anyone is interested in having it confirmed. I'm not sure if it's caused by the gourami's presence or what.

[Lupin]

Male dwarf gouramis are very obnoxious fish. I had to move my dwarf gourami to the pond after he harassed everyone while defending his bubblenest composed of ripped plant parts and bubbles. When he was placed in the pond, he made another nest and kept attacking me whenever I try to handle something in the pond (minus his territory).

[Fish-Addict]

how about a dwarf gourami or a betta with white clouds? will they nip it's fins?

[Dwarf Puffers]

My betta and dwarf gourami fought; the betta ripped one of the dwarf's "feelers" off

My other betta and 3 honey gouramis never seemed to even notice each other.

[Fish-Addict]

Do honeys prefer to be kept in groups?

[Just Prince]

how about a dwarf gourami or a betta with white clouds? will they nip it's fins?

I had Dwarf Fire Gourami that wounded 14 Black Neon Tetras in a weekend. I through it was a weak stock of Neons. Until I watched him swim up to a Neon and try to suck his eye out. Never down right killed anything just wounded it enough where the fish couldn't recover. Today 11:24 AM

[bazil323]

I have heard just too many horror stories about the aggressiveness of bettas and/or their vulnerability with their fins to risk housing them with anything else (maybe try inverts, but even they can get harassed by bettas, but I've seen my betta stalk them too). Add to that gouramis and bettas are related, they will likely see each other as potential rivals. I'd just avoid it. You might get away with mixing females, but males would likely result in disaster.

[jpappy789]

Do honeys prefer to be kept in groups?

Yes.