Blue Gourami quick question.

[xBSD]

Hi, I have a blue gourami and am thinking of adding a dwarf gourami, but after my experience with a gold gourami (it became very agressive, took it back), I want to make sure I add a fish that won't constantly bother or be bothered by my existing blue gourami. Even though the shop I get these fish from has nice (and nicely kept) fish, they aren't any help in pointing out which fish will work where.

Here's a pic of my blue gourami:

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/7100921-lg.jpg

Cheers!
xBSD

[~Erik3.8.07~]

Male gouramis tend to be more aggressive and territorial so the one you took back was likely a male. You have a female their, you can tell by their dorsal fin, males are pointed and females are more rounded. Since i think just about all dwarf gouramis in pet stores are males i wouldnt risk it. In my tank i have a blue gourami with, a pearl gourami, a snakeskin gourami, a pink kissing gourami, and a pardise gourami (all female) so i know those work. Other than gouramis they will generally get along with community fish (tetras, danios, platies, etc...) just try and get all females if you want another gourami

[xBSD]

Thanks, Erik.

I think I'll keep the tank as it is for another 2-3 weeks and then add another fish, one that won't make trouble like the gold gourami did.

BTW, the gold gourami I returned was also a female, at least from what I could tell.

Cheers!
xBSD

[travie]

Nice looking gourami, you have there. It could work with another gourami of any gender, or it could go horrible wrong. It will just depend on the individual gourami.

[Kaga's Kritters]

first of all that is not a blue gourami.....it is an opaline gourami. I have 5 of them myself. Sometimes petstores get them in when they order the blue and they just sell them as blue. here is a pic of a blue gourami...

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anabantoids/bluegourami.php

here is a pic of an opaline gourami

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anabantoids/opaline.php

Yours is a female, as I think all but maybe one of mine are female too. The aggression with the gold might have just been that fish. I wouldn't do dwarfs with yours though....maybe try another opaline, or just some other gourami and see. opalines can get up to 6 inches, so she will get a lot bigger than a dwarf would.

[xBSD]

Nice looking gourami, you have there. It could work with another gourami of any gender, or it could go horrible wrong. It will just depend on the individual gourami.

Thanks travie, I'll give it a try in a couple of weeks. Another opaline gourami, perhaps.

Cheers,
xBSD

[xBSD]

first of all that is not a blue gourami.....it is an opaline gourami. I have 5 of them myself. Sometimes petstores get them in when they order the blue and they just sell them as blue. here is a pic of a blue gourami...

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anabantoids/bluegourami.php

here is a pic of an opaline gourami

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anabantoids/opaline.php

Yours is a female, as I think all but maybe one of mine are female too. The aggression with the gold might have just been that fish. I wouldn't do dwarfs with yours though....maybe try another opaline, or just some other gourami and see. opalines can get up to 6 inches, so she will get a lot bigger than a dwarf would.

I had no idea! Thanks for the info. Yeah, a dwarf doesn't sound like a good choice for me.

Cheers,
xBSD