Do my Gouramis need some buddies?

[goldenchild22]

Hi everybody!

Just a question about if I could add some more fish, just like one or two more or more if they are small. I have a 12g eclipse with 2 dwarf gouramis and 3 cories. It seems like I need another fish at the top or something because the gouramis like the bottom and middle of the tank. But I love the little guys they are so cool! What do you guys think????

Oh I dont know if this is a stupid question but I feed coires a sinking catfish wafer thing but the gouramis love it more than there own food it seems like, and hog it so the cories dont get that much, any ideas???


Thanks a lot this site is great!!

 

[ChilDawg]

Feed sinking foods first, and then floating ones, then the gouramies would possibly fall for the floaters. I think that another cory would be all that could be added, but you are near the stocking limits for your tank.

 

[goldenchild22]

Okay, so not even one more little fish? I don't want the tank to be overstocked so thats cool.
The two dwarf gouramis I bought were in the same tank, one blue the other orange and although I knew they were both males, since they were in the same tank when I bought them I figured they wouldnt kill each other. They chase each other sometimes but they each have their little hiding spots. Are they okay or what?




Thanks!

 

[ChilDawg]

Originally posted by goldenchild22
since they were in the same tank when I bought them I figured they wouldnt kill each other.

Wow, um, trusting your LFS to show you how to keep fish is not a good idea. I think that your gouramies will be fine in this case, but I think that asking some of us if a husbandry practice or fishy combo will work would be your best bet in the future.

 

[wetmanNY]

For feeding, try them with a little bit of boiled spinach. Gouamis eat a lot of greens if they can get them.

Ever try some floating plants, like Water Sprite? Helps break up the area into smaller territories. If you can't see your rival, you forget him!

 

[goldenchild22]

Okay I guess I should have asked but I did read up about dwarf gouramis before hand and nothing said two males couldnt be together (are they diff. species one is blue the other orange)?
So does anyone else here have male gouramis together? How do they act together?
Thanks for the tip with the plants wetman!

 

[beviking]

I had a similar situation (sort of) in which I put 2 male dwarf gouramis (one "powder blue" one "flame" color) in a 55g. They came from different tanks but a 55g (community tank/ other fish too) is a lot of space for them. All was well for a while until the blue one bloated and died. I replaced him with another blue one and this one harassed the h*ll out of the flame one. I moved the flame into a Q-tank for a while and later replaced him but to no avail. I returned the blue one, tried another and that one still harassed the flame one, just not as bad. So if yours are just playing tag and not too violently, go with the plants. I think it will work. Good luck!