Ahh what Gourami?

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misty1366

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Jan 23, 2004
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I recently purchased a 36 Gallon Bowfront. I am trying to decide how to stock it and the one thing I know for sure is that I would like a Gourami.

This is what I am thinking for the rest of the fish but I am still researching

Option one

8 Neon Tetra
5 Fancy Guppy (Male only)
2 Apisto Borellii
5 Kuhli Loach

Option Two

5 Fancy Guppy
2 Apisto Borellii
10 Neon Tetra
6 Harlequin Rasbora


So far my three favoire Gourami would be The Dwarf Gourami, Honey Gourami or Opaline. On Aqua Advisor it says the Opaline may be too agressive for Neon Tetra. Is that always true? What one do you think would be best with the other fish I have listed?

Thanks again for helping
 
The Opaline Gourami can be agressive and they get rather large compared to your other fish. The Dwarf Gourami is hit or miss as to agression and health. The Honey Gourami would be nice, but my personal favorite is the Pearl Gourami.
 
My girlfriend has a honey gourami in her 20g and he's by far my favorite fish in her tank. He's a docile little guy and very active. Can't say I have much experience with the other gourami types you mentioned. I do, however, have a gold gourami in my 36g with a bunch of fancy guppies. He's quite stunning and does well with the guppies.
 
I have a Pearl and an Opaline in a 90g tank with 11 Neon Tetras, several medium sized rainbowfish, a BN Pleco and a few assorted catfish. I've never seen a bit of aggression from the Opaline.

Then again, 90g is a lot bigger than 36g. Though the gouramis both spent a good while in a 29g tank, and I still never saw any agression.

The dwarf gourami I had for a very short while however, used to constantly head butt every other fish in the tank.
 
I keep 3 (1 male, 2 female) Opaline gouramis (AKA 3 spot gourami) in a 29g aquarium with some neon & rummy nose tetras & a couple of cories & have never had an issue with the gouramis showing aggression towards their smaller tank mates.

Some advise though, gouramis are surface dwellers. Being anabantoids they are bubble nesters & labyrinth fish, so they like to hang out at the surface & occasionally gulp down some air. As such if they don't have access to some cover on the surface to make them feel safe they can act rather skittish. If you can add some floating plants in the tank, either live or fake makes no difference as long as it provides them some cover & refuge.

I myself keep keep them in a tank with both real & fake Golden Pothos "cuttings" floating on the surface & they seem to really enjoy hanging around in them. Before I added the floating plants they were extremely skittish (i.e. a lot of darting & splashing around, even some jumping) especially whenever I approached the tank to feed them. Since adding the floating plants they have become considerably less skittish.
 
Thank you so much! I forgot to Add the Pearl Gourami to my list but I do like them too. I really appreciate it. I guess I pretty much like all the gourami but maybe I will cut out the opaline since it can be agressive. Now I am back to three favorites.
They are all such beautiful fish
 
My Opaline is really really mellow... He (fairly sure here based on very bright coloration and somewhat pointed dorsal fin) doesn't bother any of my other fish, never lunges for them or anything. I'm running an overstocked 29G community-ish tank.

1 Opaline Gourami
1 Angelfish
1 Spotted Climbing Perch (spotted gourami)
1 Hatchet fish (planning to add more)
2 Juili Corys (planning to add 4 more)
6 Neon Tetras (number fluctuates -- spotted climbing perch sometimes eats them)
1 common Pleco

It is moderately to heavily planted and has a few large pieces of driftwood so there's plenty of hiding spots, but all fish are generally out in the open with the exception of the pleco who only comes out after lights out in most cases.
 
My three spot gourami is normally a pacifist and leaves the neons alone. The pearl left them alone. And if I'd had neons with my first 2 dwarfs I don't think they would have been a problem.
My latest dwarf however kept nipping the neons and everyone else. He is looking for a new home.
(pm me if your interested in him! ;) )

It seems to be kinda hit and miss with these darlings, just depends on their personality.
 
Go for the Pearl Gourami. They are the prettiest of the Gourami family. When it comes to Dwarf Gouramis, there not as hardy as they used to be from what I've heard. So be careful if you go with the Dwarf. Make sure they are healthy. Good Luck
 
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