Your Experience with Dwarf Gourami

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

How long did your Dwarf Gourami Live?

  • Died within the first week

    Votes: 2 3.3%
  • Died within the first month

    Votes: 14 23.0%
  • Died within the first six months

    Votes: 19 31.1%
  • Died within the first year

    Votes: 5 8.2%
  • Was still going strong after a year

    Votes: 21 34.4%

  • Total voters
    61

67chevelle

Basset Hound
Jul 30, 2008
2,286
2
38
I've had 3 or 4 and never had one for more than 6 months.As much as I like them,I'm never buying one again.
 

ExtraHannah

Learning as fast as I can!
Dec 6, 2009
139
0
16
Central NC
My experience with dwarf gouramis has been excellent and I will be adding a breeding pair to my next tank...cycling as we speak....
Scuppers, if you have luck breeding healthy DG's that stay that way long term, I think there would be a lot of people interested. It seems that it's much harder to find healthy stock these days. Good luck and keep us updated!
 

fishcatch22

The Picotoper
Jun 13, 2006
4,214
2
0
33
Morris, Illinois
Mine is 2 weeks old, but seems to be healthy and happy.... Watch your DG carefully thouGh, and definitely give them a twice-over, DGs are famous for coming with diseases. Make sure to get the largest and oldest looking one, as that means he's probably lived past most DG-killers. Being shy may not necessarily mean its sick, depending on their tankmates. My DG was very shy when I first got him, due to being kept in a tank with a bunch of boisterous Blue Gouramis.
 

slugzkea

AC Members
Dec 21, 2009
47
0
0
40
Canada
I have one male blood red dwarf gourami and he's good but he's quite territorial, and aggressive towards any betta.
 

kevinb120

AC Members
Jan 22, 2010
450
0
16
Centreville Va
I bought mine full grown as I heard they are kinda touchy. I hope he turns out ok, he gets along with everyone, and is up front and center all the time. Although I find all kinds of new things to worry about here...

 

venarius

AC Members
Jan 21, 2009
202
0
0
Had 3.

Powder Blue,
Regular (which I call 'tiger striped')
and Flame Red

all together, living in a 12 gallon just fine for 1 year.

I noticed the more red they had, the more aggression. So the peking order went Flame- Tiger - Powder.

They also like some live plants.

Then I Moved them all into a 29 gallon and introduced a Leopard Ctenopoma to the tank. As they Leopard was small, they all got along fine. Once the Leopard became larger then the dwarfs, he became more aggressive toward them.

One died from being picked on. The next died a month or two later... not from direct results, nipped fins and such, but just the stress from constantly being harrassed. The third (flame) did ok for a lot longer, until he got sick from an unquarantined addition, which obviosly goes to show that even though he was surviving fine, he was still under duress.

The last one died almost 2 years after I got them.

Great fish, colorful. Most get along ok (do your research though, not all). I would still have them in my tank if they weren't related to the Leopard, and could get along ok.
 

venarius

AC Members
Jan 21, 2009
202
0
0
I also should point out, that gourami's have the labyrynth organ, which allows them to utilize surface oxygen.

Myths of them dying early, should be false as since these fish can breath surface air, water quality is even less important to them. Theoretically, they should be much hardier than a 'fully aquatic respiratory' fish.

If these fish are dying like this, it is purely because of bad breeding.

Like any brood you pick from, try and select the strongest most vivid and healthy individuals.

you should do fine.
 

kevinb120

AC Members
Jan 22, 2010
450
0
16
Centreville Va
Mine has taken to playing with the killifish. I don't know about territories or tank area either, he probably covers every single cubic inch once every 10 minutes. Sleeps wherever he feels like, including hovering mid center of the tank at times in the 'lunar' light(although he does at times hits the hay in the shade behind the filter before the lights click off at 10:30). Now the first to the front and center when I approach every time, even beats the mollies...Even tolerates feeding with platies leaning against him at the top. Video games and yelling buddies in the same room don't bother him, nor banging dishes on the other side of the bar. Even trucks full speed through the long log 'tunnel'. Great fish!
 
Last edited:

Flower1982

AC Members
Sep 29, 2005
769
0
0
Pennsylvania
Real Name
Jess
I have 3 dwarf gouramis (2 females and 1 male) in my 10 gallon tank. All three are doing great so far. I've had the one female for about 5 weeks, the other female I got about 3 weeks ago and I just got the male last night. Although I've had my 10 gallon tank set up for over 4 years.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store