Dwarf Gouramis

[BBB]

I have a neon blue dwarf gourami and a red flame gourami in a 10 gallon tank along with 4 other fish. The neon seems to chase the flame from wherever its hiding. The flame seems pretty stressed cuz i think it has ich. Is this normal with dwarf gouramis???

[RobbieG]

I've seen it happen every time I've had just two of any kind of gourami. I would take one back.

You could try rearranging the decor but it probably won't make much difference in that size tank.

I've heard of other people successfully keeping 5-6 together in a larger tank.

[hungryhound]

I have a neon blue dwarf gourami and a red flame gourami in a 10 gallon tank along with 4 other fish. The neon seems to chase the flame from wherever its hiding. The flame seems pretty stressed cuz i think it has ich. Is this normal with dwarf gouramis???

you most likely have too many gouramis in too small an area. as Robbie has said alot of people keep more than one gourami in a larger tank, but you don't normally here of people keeping more than one in a 10 gallon.

The other factor that you might have is that they are two different species of gourami. I know that my dwarf flame gourami in my 46 gallon did not like it when I added 3 pearl gouramis to the tank. What you may have is a more aggressive species establishing its dominance over a less dominant species. This stress most likely caused the weakened immune system that led to your fish getting ich.

I hope it gets better, but you may want to try and return one of the gouramis and if you want two to get two of the same species.

[BBB]

K thanks I guess i'll do that and i will prbably get another neon dwarf gourami. Does it matter if its male or female???

[hungryhound]

K thanks I guess i'll do that and i will prbably get another neon dwarf gourami. Does it matter if its male or female???

With a male female relationship the male may pester the female, but as long as thee are hiding spots it should be okay. If you really don't want fry I would get a male as they are more colorful. The females are a drab grey.

[TowBoater]

Gouramis fight and the loser needs room to stay away from the boss. 10 gallons is enough for one dwarf but I don't recommend placing one type of just about any fish in a tank. If you want gouramis, I would go get a 30 gallon and keep about 5 of the same species. Yes it probably has ich because it is stressed. It is a common mistake that I have done as well and so many others have. Good luck with it!!

[BBB]

Alright but u think hes fine with four mollies that get about 2.5 inches. So far he hasn't seemed to mind them unless they get in his way (neon blue dwarf)

[TowBoater]

That is a tad overcrowded for a 10gallon. 1" of fish pergallon is the golden rule. Filter depends on maybe going a little over but not much at all. I have to recommend a bigger tank, a 30 gallon would be the smallest I would get.

[BBB]

well if i take back a gourami then it will only be a total of 12 inches in fish fully grown. i do water changes every week.

[RobbieG]

If you keep 1 gourami and 4 mollies - I would make sure that you change 50% every week and use a filter that the manufacturer rates for a 30 gallon tank.

[TowBoater]

Amen to that robbie! You have to count what they can grow to in it. I don't have but like 25" of fish in my 55 gallon but as they get full grown, it will raise to like 60". I have a filter registered for 75 and one for 50 though.

[BBB]

50%. Cant that stress the fish out or take away too much bacteria. My tanks had the mollies for almost 2 weeks now and the gouramis for almost a week and my ammonia and nitrites and nitrates are all fine.

[RobbieG]

If your tank is still cycling you will likely need to change that much just to keep the fish alive.

The "good" bacteria live in your filter and gravel and on the surfaces of your tank.

I change at least 50% in all of my tanks every week.

[TowBoater]

Yes it will stress the fish, no it won't take all the bacteria, they live on your decor an in your substrate, most is in your filter. It won't stress the fish worse than doing a smaller one which will make the water worse and worse. I do 2 water changes a week of at least 25%, usually 35%

[BBB]

Well my tanks been up for about 2 months. If i did 50% changes would i still need to get another filter??

[TowBoater]

Yup, filter is the most important investment besides the tank itself.

[BBB]

K thanks for all the answers. This is one expensive hobby!

[TowBoater]

Lol, only at first and then it is the urges to get bigger and better stuff that gets you. I was fine with my 5 and 10 gallon and then the urge hit me and I have 5 more tanks now.:10:

[RobbieG]

You can pick up a filter that is rated by the manufacturer for a 30 gallon tank fairly cheaply.

The reason for using it rather than the one the manufacturer says is good enough for a 10 gallon tank is that the manufacturers exaggerate the effectiveness of their filters - like the gas mileage estimates when you drive a car. You always want to have a filter that claims it can handle double the size of your tank. In your case - it will be much easier to find a filter for a 30 than a 20 thats why I recommeded the one for the 30.

[BBB]

Ya that makes sense. But if i were to get another filter would it screw up the nitrogen cycle??

[TowBoater]

Let your old filter run with it, it won't hurt and eventually, in a week or so, if you want to take it off you can and the other one will have the nitrite eating bacteria growing on it or you can place the filter cartridge of your old filter in the bottom of your tank in pantyhose for a week or so.

[BBB]

ok thanks for everything and sorry for asking so many questions. That was my first tank and I got a 30 gallon about a month ago.

Oh i dont know if you can answer this but i seem to have snails in my tank and i remove them when i see them but their annoying. Is there any way i can remove all of them?

[TowBoater]

Seems you have them one snails. Only way is to completely re-due your tank or try that snail-b-gone stuff, don't know if it works though. I like snails in mine, well apple snails anyways. Don't worry about the questions, that is what this forum is for.

[BBB]

alright i will know to ask you again if i need help. ohh and one more thing. On the internet ive read many different things about blue gouramis and their temperments. How aggresive are they??

[TowBoater]

More aggressive than dwarf for the simple fact that they are larger. Big fish eat little fish and almost always, the big fish is the boss and makes sure all the other fish know it. Gouramis like to fight though.

[RobbieG]

Do you mean the blue spot or three spot gourami's?

They can be very aggressive with other gourami's but I have one in with a wide variety of community fish and have no problems - he goes crazy if I put in another gourami though even if it is a dwarf.

[BBB]

alright i think that just about wraps things up
thanks again.

[TowBoater]

That is what we are here for, to help eachother. Good luck with your tank!! Hope the 30g works out well!

[SoCalxPiranhaxKing]

you could get a tiger loch to help you control the snails.thay do a great job of removing all the small snails but you still have to remove the larger ones by hand.