Honey Sunset Gourami from Petsmart?

[MidnightSkies]

The scientific names that Petsmart gives doesn't match the information, so I was unsure which to go by (sota for scientific name, but gives information that matches thick lipped). I'm starting to really like these guys. I hope Petsmart is able to get another shipment of them in since there are only 2 left right now and both seem slightly more on the aggressive side.

I haven't found too much information on their compatibility with guppies. From your experience would a single honey be alright with a couple fancy guppies in a small 10 gallon? I was kind of set on guppies also, to make my mom happy. The only fish I have currently is a lone cory. I keep having bad luck with his buddies (sick from store).

 

[Jayhawk]

You're right that the petsmart tag better fits C. labiosa, but they definitely are not labiosa. C. sota is a synonym for C. chuna...actually, I'm not 100% sure what the most current accepted name is (I think chuna is the current choice. At one time, they were listed as the same family as blue gouramis so you'll sometimes see them as Trichogaster sota or T. chuna).

I think 1 would do fine in your tank...the two at petsmart are likey both males and sparring...although I may have 2 males in my tank right now (33 gallon, 36" long heavily planted).

A single would do great in your tank. Mine leave alone harlequin rasboras, spike tailed paradisefish (these guys are not aggressive and have long flowing fins...see my avatar...so if the honeys had a tendency to nip long fins they sure have the opportunity in my tank), and platys and they even leave alone the baby platies which are small enough to eat.

I would make sure you have a heavily planted/decorated tank. Mine do not hide out, but they seem to enjoy swimming around stuff and exploring. Any floating plants (even fake ones) would be appreciated as well.

Eric

 

[MidnightSkies]

I did end up picking one up and I'm hoping he/she stays small and really is a honey. It's about 1.25 inches currently. There's only a single male guppy and a large bronze cory in with it. The cory has been completely ignored. There is a little bit of guppy chasing going on at lights out, but no nipping that I noticed. Things seem pretty peaceful for the most part. The gourami is the most active little thing I've ever seen! Doesn't hide and isn't scared at all, but it never stops moving. I have pictures for anyone interested or that has been following.

Is anyone able to verify that it is in fact a honey and not a thick lip? Or is anyone able to the tell whether it's a male or female?

 

[Jayhawk]

Here are my two next to two Variatus platys (for size reference):

Mine are absolute maniacs, too - swimming all over the place and in constant motion. I really don't see them eating...at least not the food I put in the tank, but they do pick at all my plants and on the rocks, so maybe they're grazing something. They still look healthy - much healthier than they should be if they'd never eaten since I brought them home.

Yours are definitely C. chuna/sota.

Eric

 

[MidnightSkies]

Mine does tend to pick at things quite a bit too. He does go crazy at feeding time though also. I'd definitely say not a picky eater at all. I'd say I'm definitely pleased, and I do hope he does have a decent life span.

Good to hear that he's definitely chuna/sota. They always have them on the top in Petsmart, and being only 5'2" I really can't get a very good look before buying. I really wish they would make the tanks shorter. I'd like to actually be able to see IN the tank.

 

[Jayhawk]

Well, my smaller one died a day or two ago...appeared to have a broken spine near the base of the tail (it was healthy the preceeding days). I assumed it was my black paradisefish (even though I hadn't seem him chasing/nipping anyone), but I was wrong!

My larger (still really small) honey gourami has turned out to be a holy terror. He chases the black paradisefish and the spike tailed paradisefish whenever he is anywhere near them (even though he's a good inch shorter than either one). I also suspect the honey gourami in the death of 3 harlquin rasboras...all three died before the black paradisefish was introduced to the tank (they were having some odd fin disorder I'd not seen before - essentially, they didn't come in as healthy stock). Still, the behavior is suprising, but anabantoids can be as individualistic as any cichlid.

The larger honey gourami is healthy as a horse, eats algae and flakes, and is definitely in charge of all 33 gallons of tank space.

I've named him, too - Napoleon...he's a little bugger with a big fish complex!

Eric

 

[swimmer24]

Well, my smaller one died a day or two ago...appeared to have a broken spine near the base of the tail (it was healthy the preceeding days). I assumed it was my black paradisefish (even though I hadn't seem him chasing/nipping anyone), but I was wrong!

My larger (still really small) honey gourami has turned out to be a holy terror. He chases the black paradisefish and the spike tailed paradisefish whenever he is anywhere near them (even though he's a good inch shorter than either one). I also suspect the honey gourami in the death of 3 harlquin rasboras...all three died before the black paradisefish was introduced to the tank (they were having some odd fin disorder I'd not seen before - essentially, they didn't come in as healthy stock). Still, the behavior is suprising, but anabantoids can be as individualistic as any cichlid.

The larger honey gourami is healthy as a horse, eats algae and flakes, and is definitely in charge of all 33 gallons of tank space.

I've named him, too - Napoleon...he's a little bugger with a big fish complex!

Eric

I've had this kind of experience with these guys too! I've had about 5 or 6, most while I was desperately trying to figure everything out with my tank. I have very little experience with cichlids (only angels!) but each one of these honey gouramis has a great little personality. One would spit water at me until I fed him if I opened the hood at all..it was so funny!! A different one was a notorious chaser in the tank-he totally had a Napoleon complex too. One I have currently swims up to the front of the tank just like the angels whenever I (or anyone else) walks by. It just is a constant reminder of how much personality fish can have!

 

[Kuhlifan]

I bought one from pestsmart that I had for over a year. It maybe got to be around three inches long. It was very peaceful and lived happily in a five gallon tank with two ADFs, two platys and some ghost shrimp and snails. It eventually caught something and died on me, or else it just got old. I couldn't really match his symptoms with any disease. He just started looking old and worn, for lack of a better term.

He was always very friendly and outgoing. My boss loved him and threatened to fire me when he died. Gouramis and bettas are the type of fish that personality makes all the difference in. Sometimes they chill, sometimes they don't.

 

[MidnightSkies]

Wow, I guess these guys can have an aggressive streak, and get rather large! My one has been in a 10 gallon tank with 3 male guppy/endler hybrids (some more guppy some more endler) and a large bronze cory for a little over 3 weeks now. He/She has grown a little. I'd say it's maybe around 2 inches now, and has colored up nicely. Something that I find a little strange though is that randomly on the half half of its body and fins there's quite of bit of a charcoal/black/grey colored wash. He's been completely healthy though and absolutely no aggression at all. All the other fish are completely ignored. I have to say, one of the most peaceful fish that I've owned. He makes the guppy hybrids look like little terrors. He does eat anything and everything also. Flakes, sinking shrimp pellets for the cory, algae wafers, algae diatoms, etc. ... it's all fair game for this little fish.

 

[Kuhlifan]

Mine was a beautiful solid orange when I got it. After several months, it started to develop little white spots on its fins. I panicked, of course, but it wasn't ich. It just appeared to be some sort of natural coloration. However, over the course of the next year, more and more of the orange started to go away to be replaced with white spots/patches. It died after about a year and a half. It always acted healthy otherwise, and was a gentle and peaceful fish.

I don't know if it was just a part of the aging process or what. I couldn't find any disease as such. There are some major issues concerning health with all sorts of gouramis. I've heard that some of it is a genetic problem from too much breeding and some of it is different types of parasites and illnesses that apparently target gouramis in particular. Maybe this was something like that.