michael.qian Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Hi all I've just discovered the dwarf gouramis yesterday and found that they could be a great addition to my tank. Been doing some research on them but just want to make sure of a few things. Is it conventional to keep one pair in a tank? Two males do aggresive towards each other correct? if the tank isn't big enough. Or can I just keep one single male? Would he be happy without a female partner? Planning to sell my 5X lepoard danios and get dwarf gouramis instead, a male or a pair. Another question on the side, my biggest and fastest growing male bristlenose has a whiteish patch just in front of the top fin, sometimes it's whiter and sometimes not so white, is this normal? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firespook Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 good question, i've been wondering this myself (whether one dwarf gourami is a good idea) so i'll keep an eye on this thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Look for a guy that is breeding D gourami and selling on TradeMe. They appear a good price and as they have not have to go thru the trauma of quarantine drugs etc to get them to the shop, I consider them a lot better buy.. Wouldn't you be happier with a partner?? No, not another male tho. Interesting breeding these guys too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozski Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 I have had nothing but bad luck with them. And from others comments on here, it seems to be a dwarf gourami *thing* Although like Alan suggests, home bred ones will be better than imports, not sure what mine were. Male #1, managed to squeeze out of tank and become carpet jerky within a week Male#2, free from a friend, fine for a couple of months, then became S shaped. Remained alive and S shaped for another few months until I put him down when he looked a bit less happy and I was going away for a week. Got female when I got male #2 Male #3, purchased 2 months after Male #2s demise, to make sure nothing else in the tank had dreaded S shape disease. Male #3 gets it on with the female, successfully spawns twice, drives everything else in tank into hiding while protecting bubble nest. Developed an ulcer on the side (apparently common). Thought it was healing. Was away again for a week, boyfriend keeping an eye on fish. I get back, ulcer has eaten right through fish, and fish has popeye. Sent Male #3 to fishy heaven Left with female. Female develops red spot on fin. Red spot has now eaten through fin. Female also has red ulcery looking spot on side. Not sure what it is, but not getting better... Meanwhile, all other fish in tank (bristlenose, pair of killies, 2 danios) all happy as larry. Danios are in big tank now, just the killies, BN and female in small tank. Might give the dwarf keeping a rest methinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted August 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Ok so I should try a pair. Here's my list of fish by the way, take out the 5X lepoard danios though as they will be sold before I get my gouramis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted August 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 oops here it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 The dwarf always seem to get ulcers and die. And the ulcers seem to be contagious to other dwarf gourami's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted August 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 lol having second thoughts now. are the ulcers contagious to other fish though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozski Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Like I said, not by what I have seen, but thats just my tank... They are a gorgeous fish, and was awesome having them spawn. But as I am most likely going to lose this female, not going to spend any more money on a new pair. First two males were not aggressive, this one was when they spawned. But they were in too small a tank to have proper breeding space Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 2 of mine died of the ulcers and they were in the tank with heaps of other fish and no-one else got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_r Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Ive had two males from LFS for about 4 months now, all seem to be really happy and neat to watch, added 2 small females and bubble nests appeared overnight. Even then had no worries about them being agressive, maybe a bit of tension between the males but nothing major and have never seen any wounds, scars, ulcers S Shapes etc. In my opinion are really neat fish and really easy to look after, and im no fish expert (at all) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted August 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Most websites say they are easy to look after and a overall a great fish. Decided I will give them a go, won't be buying them soon like tomorrow but will wait until my danios sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becc4 Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 I had 2 males and 1 female. The lived happily for many months, and even had several goes at breeding (unsucessful because i was not set up to handle such small fry). Anyway female died after mating a 3rd time. The 2 males lived in harmony for another 6 months. They were in a tank with a breeding pair of Rams who attacked them resulting in minor damage. Hospital tanked them, they recovered but not fully. Only one male now and he has become 's' shaped. They are great fish and I think they have to go through really bad circumstances to get sick like mine did....lesson learned that even dwarf cichlids aren't nice to house them with when theres breeding going on. I would definately recommend them! Yep and look at the ones on trademe like Alan suggested. You will have more luck finding a female as the lfs don't get females in as their colouring is not as nice and males. Good to have a female with male so the male colours up. But in saying that 2 males are ok togehter - well mine were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozski Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 By all means have a go at them michael. Just be aware they tend to do these things :roll: My #2 male came from a 250 litre tank that had 2 males, but I think they might fight in yours, not sure, they keep them together in tanks at the fish store.... A male-female pair always looks nicer than a single fish anyway. More balancing and natural for a tank. And becc, you had an S shaped one too?! I asked on here when it happened, but no-one had seen it before, and Fish TB was the best we could come up with. But as my other fish seem fine, I don't think that was the case. Also seeing as he lasted so long with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becc4 Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Yeah Rozski both males have ended up S shaped, but only after they had never fully recovered from the Ram's beating. All other fish (dwarf cockatoos, and siamese fighter) in the tank are fine. I think the last male is on his way out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted August 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 what is S shaped? it looks sort of like the discus, just not as round, has a vertically compressed body. which way does it go S shaped in? horizontally or vertically? Asking because I can imagine a thin fish, like a white cloud or danio to go S shaped but not a fish like the gourami. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becc4 Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 if you looking down on the fish it looks like an S head turned to the side the body twisted then the tail the opposite direction to the head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozski Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 yeah, it does it horizontally (or if you want the proper term, laterally). Hence me thinking it wasn't TB, as that is when the fish is twisted looking from the side ie hunch backed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted August 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Went to into Hollywoods and Jensens today and they don't have any females. They got some nice males though, so I might start with a male and look for a a female somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 The females can be a bit hard to find. Recently pairs of certain strains/species were imported so it might be worth asking if your LFS can get you some pairs- some of them are still on the lists i beleive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 just a slight word of warning - just watch the male fighter and male gourami in a tank together as they don't always get on. It depends on the individual fish but make sure you are able to seperate them if the need arises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted August 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Thanks for the warning. Yes I can seperate them if the need arises. But if I have to let one of them go it'll be the gourami, I've grown attached to my fighter. This red male fighter has settled in surprising quickly, now taking food from my tank and its great to watch, and when light goes off at night I'll find it sitting (and it really looks like how we sit) on the top of the filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowfax Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 best of luck wth these fish, i think they look great but i wont buy any more after losing my 3, they stopped eating & faded away one after the other. if i try again it will be if i can get my hands on some home bred ones not from the lsf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
je_suis_ketan Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Hey I just had a question michael, do you find that your fighter gets along alright with the sword tails? Just considering them myself. Though everyone in my tank has been chosen if they would get along with my fighter lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted August 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 my fighter gets along fine with everyone, very peaceful fish. but it depends on the individual fish, like humans some people are more aggresive than others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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