schooling gouramis?

dethjam316

dethjam316

AC Members
Apr 6, 2003
672
0
16
45
south of nowhere, north of nothing
has anyone ever observed this behavior, particularly for blues (trichogaster trichopterus), pearls (trichogaster leeri), dwarves (colisa lalia), or even honey gouramis for that matter?

does anyone keep enough in a large enough tank to know?

the profiles from this website list pearls and honey gouramis as "groups" for sociability, while the others are listed as solitary or pairs. however, i have read other opinions on different websites, suggesting that dwarf gouramis and any of the trichopterus variants will actually school in a large enough, female-dominated group (meaning one male and A LOT of females, or at most 2 males maybe?).

opinions? i'm considering trying something like this out in a 125+g this summer, and i'm very curious. i would imagine a decently sized school of these fish would be an awesome site in a six-foot or larger tank.
 
As threadfin gouramis come to breeding size, they set up a territory centered on their bubble nest. I think you'll see traces of shoaling behavior erode as fish mature and get to know their surroundings.

Just my hunch, because I've never had a dozen gouramis in a big tank. But five female Leeri in a 30-gallon here are tolerant of one another, but don't school.

If I had a male, I don't think the group would be more cohesive. But he might herd them into a shoal.
 
hmmm

i was thinking 10-15 pearls, mostly females with 2 or 3 males. i figure this way, even if they don't school/shoal a bit, they're much more likely to be peaceful with each other, especially in a large environment. they're one of my favorites anyway.

lord knows my big blue gourami (male, of course) tolerates no one...beautiful but pure evil. he's been exiled from any and all community-oriented tanks to a 20L for almost a year with a pair of crayfish. even those guys are terrified of that gourami, fleeing quickly whenever he graces the bottom of the tank.

anyway, does anyone keep more than, say, 8 of the same species of gourami with a mixed male and female make-up?
 
I have heard of females shoaling. On a few sites I read when I first got my blues, it said to keep pairs or a school of females. I think you would need a lot to get it and it would probably be a loose school. I have two blues now and they ingnore eachother. I dont know about pearls tho never had em
 
In my out-grow tanks, my juvenile Gold Gouramis school- they will swim together and if startled will quickly join together in a large mass. There are quite a few- probably 30 in a 20 gallon tank and size is about 3:1 largest to smallest, I have the very smallest in a separate tank. Most schooling fish only get in a tight mass in presence of a threat so I would say this qualifies. In smaller groups they are more independent minded, but they will lay resting at the bottom of the tank in a group. I'm setting up a larger tank (5'x1.5'x2') that will have a S.E. Asian theme that will house @ least 10 of these beautiful graceful fish, 4 Clown Loaches, Giant Dainos (5-7) and a large school of Harliquin Rasboras-I'm thinking 20+.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom