chocolate gourami

angyles

angyles

AC Members
Nov 4, 2002
966
0
16
45
Tacoma, WA
Visit site
I've had a chocolate gourami for about a year now. First one I've ever had, or seen. Now that I've upgraded to a larger tank, I'm trying to decide which fish need buddies. While reading about the CG online, I was a bit surprised to find out that they're very hard to keep alive, since I haven't had any problems whatsoever.

anyone else out there have experience with these little guys? Do they like to be with more of their kind? Are they really so delicate? Did I just really luck out with the one I have? I'm not sure if I should try getting another one or not.
 
The problem is these fish are not often taken care of well enough when shipped around. They are also not acclimated properly in new conditions. To begin with, there is already a high mortality rate once they are transported. We all know fish are often placed in bags in vast numbers. This increases the stress as they are unable to handle the ammonia rising inside the bag. While they could tolerate oxygen depleted waters, the ammonia and nitrites are an issue since they lack tolerance for poor water quality. Most people do not know how to acclimate a fish one bit. To them, it's just dump them and be done with it.

Another thing is their habitat constantly replenishes clean water so most of the time, people fail to do small daily water changes by doing a large one on weekly basis instead. This increases the chance of these fish suffering bacteria infection. The last issue would be food. For the most part, chocolates are often wild caught so a lot of these starve themselves to death due to inadequacy of live foods. However they can be trained to eat commercial foods. Consider yourself lucky if you've somehow manage them to wean on commercial foods. Believe me, a constant supply of live and frozen foods are a pain especially you have limited resources in your area.

For tankmates, the only tankmates I would consider are boraras, ember tetras, kuhli loaches, other placid gouramis such as licorice, small wild bettas (not counting the Betta splendens) and pygmy corydoras. Boisterous tankmates will only make them more timid than before and they may just starve to death as a result.
 
how interesting. he lives with rosy barbs and diamond tetras as some of his tank mates!! And he gets right into the mix and takes flakes with everyone else. Well I guess I'll feel VERY lucky then if he makes it through this transition to the new tank. He lost all his color during the actual switch, but now 24 hours later he's bright and beautiful and eating and spreading his fins, all as normal.
 
Lupin said:
The problem is these fish are not often taken care of well enough when shipped around. They are also not acclimated properly in new conditions. To begin with, there is already a high mortality rate once they are transported. We all know fish are often placed in bags in vast numbers. This increases the stress as they are unable to handle the ammonia rising inside the bag. While they could tolerate oxygen depleted waters, the ammonia and nitrites are an issue since they lack tolerance for poor water quality. Most people do not know how to acclimate a fish one bit. To them, it's just dump them and be done with it.

Another thing is their habitat constantly replenishes clean water so most of the time, people fail to do small daily water changes by doing a large one on weekly basis instead. This increases the chance of these fish suffering bacteria infection. The last issue would be food. For the most part, chocolates are often wild caught so a lot of these starve themselves to death due to inadequacy of live foods. However they can be trained to eat commercial foods. Consider yourself lucky if you've somehow manage them to wean on commercial foods. Believe me, a constant supply of live and frozen foods are a pain especially you have limited resources in your area.

For tankmates, the only tankmates I would consider are boraras, ember tetras, kuhli loaches, other placid gouramis such as licorice, small wild bettas (not counting the Betta splendens) and pygmy corydoras. Boisterous tankmates will only make them more timid than before and they may just starve to death as a result.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info LUPE! :)

SchizotypalVamp said:
Are you sure he is a chocolate? If he is you should breed him lol, those hardy genes could use spreading around.
Click to expand...

I agree spread the joy!:perv:
 
There are two species of chocolates actually and some even look very much related to them such as Sphaerichthys vaillanti but these ones are hardier and easier to keep.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom