Identify This Gourami

[walt8880]

I am a rank novice, but I was in a LFS yesterday and saw what appeared to me to be an "unusual" gourami. I asked the shop manager about it, but her anwer in Thai was unitelligible to me except for the word "gourami".

I took a couple not very good pictures in hopes of finding an match somewhere, but have been unsuccessful.

Can anyone tell me what variety of gourami this might be?

thanks
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[jaysee]

They are balloon kissing gouramis

[Neon]

welcome to AC !!!

[Demjor19]

Some kind of S/B Gourami...maybe a SB Pearl?

[jaysee]

They stay much smaller than regular kissers, but I believe they have the same disposition.

[walt8880]

They are balloon kissing gouramis

Thanks. I can now read about how to keep them.

My tank is cycling now. After it finishes, I will probably get 1 or 3 of these as some of my first stock.

My other fish of choice ( today at least) is M. Preacox(neon dwarf) rainbow fish.

Would these two be OK together??

Any hints would be welcome

[jaysee]

I love dwarf neon rainbows. They're flashy, active, schooling fish that pretty much stay in the upper half of the tank, and they stay small enough to keep a nice school in a 29. Essentially, they are nicer, less maniacal versions of giant danios.

I don't see any problems with them and the balloons.

What size tank is it?

[Lab_Rat]

Those are actually the balloon pearl gouramis, not kissing. It's hard to tell from the pics but you can barely make out the markings and the finnage is different (fish aren't well colored up).

[jaysee]

I didn't know they made balloon pearls. New for '09? :hmm3grin2orange:

I'm gonna stick to the regular ones....

[Lab_Rat]

Yes, unfortunately they do, have seen them several times at different LFS. :scry:

Not my cup of tea either...

[Demjor19]

Those are actually the balloon pearl gouramis, not kissing. It's hard to tell from the pics but you can barely make out the markings and the finnage is different (fish aren't well colored up).

That's what I thought...

[jaysee]

Thanks. I can now read about how to keep them.

My tank is cycling now. After it finishes, I will probably get 1 or 3 of these as some of my first stock.

My other fish of choice ( today at least) is M. Preacox(neon dwarf) rainbow fish.

Would these two be OK together??

Any hints would be welcome

Don't let us stop you from getting them because we don't like the look. The good news for you is they probably have the peaceful disposition that the regulars have, so if your tank is big enough you can get a few.

[walt8880]

I love dwarf neon rainbows. They're flashy, active, schooling fish that pretty much stay in the upper half of the tank, and they stay small enough to keep a nice school in a 29. Essentially, they are nicer, less maniacal versions of giant danios.

I don't see any problems with them and the balloons.

What size tank is it?

tank is 29g...

If this some kind of odd hybrid fish, I may just go with Pearl or Dwarf Gouramis with the Praecox rainbows.

I want to keep the number of species low to be able to see the fish without being distracted.

I am thinking of dwarf neon rainbows (6-8), pearl,dwarf or kissing balloon gouramis (1-3) and probably some small corydoras (6-8) with maybe a couple nerite snails or amato shrimp for algae control.

Comments appreciated

[jaysee]

8 rainbows (2m/6f), 3 balloon pearls (1m/2f ASSUMING they stay small), 8panda corys. If you go with a dwarf gourami, only get 1 as they are very territorial. If you go with regular pearls, then 2 (1m/1f).

What do you have for filtration?

I ran that combo through aqadvisor [Only Registered Users Can See Links.](Corydoras%20panda),8%20x%20Neon%20Dwarf%20Rainbowfish%20(Melanotaenia%20praecox),2%20x%20Pearl%20Gourami%20(Trichogaster%20leerii)

It would definitly be fully stocked, but with a good filtration system and weekly water changes you'll be fine.

[walt8880]

8 rainbows (2m/6f), 3 balloon pearls (1m/2f ASSUMING they stay small), 8panda corys. If you go with a dwarf gourami, only get 1 as they are very territorial. If you go with regular pearls, then 2 (1m/1f).

What do you have for filtration?

I ran that combo through aqadvisor [Only Registered Users Can See Links.](Corydoras%20panda),8%20x%20Neon%20Dwarf%20Rainbowfish%20(Melanotaenia%20praecox),2%20x%20Pearl%20Gourami%20(Trichogaster%20leerii)

It would definitly be fully stocked, but with a good filtration system and weekly water changes you'll be fine.

I am in Thailand. Filter is internal wet/dry as are almost all of the tanks here.

[Lab_Rat]

tank is 29g...

If this some kind of odd hybrid fish, I may just go with Pearl or Dwarf Gouramis with the Praecox rainbows.

I want to keep the number of species low to be able to see the fish without being distracted.

I am thinking of dwarf neon rainbows (6-8), pearl,dwarf or kissing balloon gouramis (1-3) and probably some small corydoras (6-8) with maybe a couple nerite snails or amato shrimp for algae control.

Comments appreciated

They're not a hybrid fish, rather they are bred for the spinal deformity (arched spine resulting in the shortened, balloon body). This deformity can cause all sorts of health problems, especially swim bladder problems. But if it's what you like, it's your tank, go for it.

I like your stocking plan, but in a 29g I would keep it to a lone gourami, unless you can get 1m/2f dwarfs. Kissing gouramis will get way too big for a 29g, so I would pass on them. I had a lone pearl in a 29g and he did well.