# Keeping Dwarf Gouramis



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

Hi guys. I've got a 10 gallon that I just put 3 Dwarf Gouramis in; 2 red and 1 blue. They're the only inhabitants of the tank (the Gouramis are all I plan to put in this tank, aside for a handful of ghost shrimp to be bottom scavengers). They all seem quite happy, and have plenty of hiding places and cover with real plants, a piece of drift wood, and a slate rock cave. My concern is that they're all males, and I've noticed a little "tension" between them sometimes when they approach each other. They're all the same size, so it's not really like a larger one is bullying the smaller ones, but I have noticed that the blue one seems to be a bit more on edge when one of the red ones swim near. They don't really chase each other around, but they well flick their tail and lunge at each other real quick, just to chase the other away. And they don't always do it either; only every once in a while.

What I'm wonder is, is this because there's no females in the tank maybe? I want to get another one to have a 4th, and if it would help I'd get a female, but I don't want it to be 3 males to one female. I'd take one of these red ones and exchange it for a female, and pick up another female at the same time so it would be two males to two females.

But at the same time, all I have is this 10 gallon right now, so I don't have the room to be breeding them if they pair off.

Or is it maybe a red vs. blue species thing?


This is my first Gouramis I've ever had, and I really love these guys. SO much more personality than any other fish I've ever had 



Thanks!


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

oh yeah, here's the setup, and the fish


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I think what you're seeing is normal Gourami behavior. Mine are the same.


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

that would be a relief

like I said, these guys have more of a personality than any other fish I've owned. the fact that they actually react with one another is cool, lol, I'm use to fish just aimlessly swimming around, bumping into each other without a care 


every time I look at them in the tank, they're doing something new  the blue one wont leave the bud on my Aponogeton alone, lol; he keeps nipping at it. these guys are loud eaters too; you can hear them nipping at the surface of the water when it's feeding time


they're so cool; I love these crazy fish. I'm going to pick up the 4th one, a blue one, this afternoon and introduce it into the tank, and I'm also going to pick up a floating plant of some sort to put on the side of the tank with the log, so they'll have a little cover there too since I hear they like that. I've still got $12 credit left at the LFS from turning in my other fish before I moved, and it's burning a hole in my pocket, lol


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

picked up the second Powder Blue today, along with a small bunch of Hornwort to float in the tank

they seem to really like the cover of the Hornwort 

I may have to move some plants around though... it's really blocking the light from one of the Amazon Swords, lol


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

OH

I forgot to add that I changed the backdrop too, to just a plane black

personally, I think it looks a lot better, and really brings out the color of the fish more, even though my iPhone can't pick that color up very well in the photos


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Dwarf Gourami - UltimateBettas
Here is a wonderful profile on these fish.


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

according to that, my tank is a little on the small side :/

I wonder if that's because of maybe the bioload from them, and it's not taking in the consideration of a planted tank?

of course, everything else I read also says they're rather peaceful fish for the most part...


as of now, they all seem perfectly happy


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Its the size factor.They get kinda bulky even though they are dwarfs.I had a blue like yours reach three inches,lol.He was a beauty but so mean!I couldnt keep anything with him so he had 39 gallons to his fishy self.Also once they get older they will get more territorial.Do you know for sure if they are all males?I cant tell by the pics.They are very healthy looking fellows though.just keep an eye on your levels and aggression.if it works it works right?I have three macrostomas in a 29 gallon,and according to most im overstocked...But they are healthy and happy.As long as alls well, they will stay there.


Looking at the blues,maybe the one without the red is a female.How does it fair with the others?Do the other display for him/her?


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

well according to the man at the LFS, they were all males... I'm going to look up some info on distinguishing between the two now. from what I've read so far, the females are usually a little less bright in their colors, and all of these are pretty brightly colored.

the new powder blue I just put in yesterday (the more blue one with less red) has already begun building a bubble nest in the hornwort; I noticed this morning, lol.

what's the typical "display" act of them look like? I'm not sure if I've seen that happen yet either


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Females are very plain looking. Those are males.


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

yeah they're definitely all males. the coloration and the fins give it away

I'm going to keep them in the tank by themselves, just the 4 of them, until I get a larger tank, hopefully about 55 gallons. then I'll set up a small community with those 4, as well as 2 or 3 females, and use the 10 gallon to breed and raise them  I really love these little guys; they're so fun to watch


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Females don't last very long at the lfs it seems. I have seen the label at the Petsmart, but never see any in the tank.


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

yeah once I get into breeding them, I'll start trading them in at the LFS for store credit, and maybe they'll get a few females from me  he said those things sell out so quick every time he gets them in, and a local supplier (like someone who's breeding them and trading them in) would be good for him since he turns to many of them.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I know where to get them online.


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

well the LFS get's a shipment of them every other Wednesday, and he says he get's about 10% females, and 90% males, so I know for a fact that he gets them, and most importantly I know WHEN he gets them, lol.

I'm not going to get any until I get the larger tank though


----------

