Honey Gourami Turning Black

Bought two honey gouramies (according to my LFS) they were radiant yellow/orange and active for the first 10 days. After that they slowly start turning brown/black and constantly hiding somewhere on the bottom of my 65 gallon tank. The water parameters are fine the whole time, I do weekly water change and feed them freeze dried bloodworms and fish flakes. Are they sick? Or is this their natural color/behavior?

 

That would be abnormal patterning for a honey gourami, but you’ve got a thick lipped gourami, and for him, it’s perfectly normal.
They’re often mislabeled in stores, either intentionally or otherwise.

 

Someone else on the forums was having this issue with their Opaline. I know they tend to turn black when stressed and some when ready to mate. But that's not always the case, some have had theirs turn black for no reason. Single gourami, not stressed. It's just because some are color morphs.

 

That would be abnormal patterning for a honey gourami, but you’ve got a thick lipped gourami, and for him, it’s perfectly normal.
They’re often mislabeled in stores, either intentionally or otherwise.

Do you think it’s normal for them to hide behind the plants on the bottom of the tank?

 

Do you think it’s normal for them to hide behind the plants on the bottom of the tank?

How long have you had them altogether?

 

Someone else on the forums was having this issue with their Opaline. I know they tend to turn black when stressed and some when ready to mate. But that's not always the case, some have had theirs turn black for no reason. Single gourami, not stressed. It's just because some are color morphs.

I have 2 and they turned the same dark color. Not sure if they are female or male but they might be stressed actually that would be the best explanation for them to hide on the bottom of the tank all the time.

 

How long have you had them altogether?

Probably for couple of months now

 

Probably for couple of months now

Have you changed anything in their tank? New decorations? New tank mates? Any rising or lowering of parameters?

 

Have you changed anything in their tank? New decorations? New tank mates? Any rising or lowering of parameters?

I bought them at the same time as 4 swordtails, 4 scissortail rasboras and one cichlid. If anything my tetras should have been stressed out from all the new fish coming in.

 

Hmm. Not sure. It doesn't seem like there is anything to stress them out. If it is that they are one male and one female than it could be they're getting ready to breed.

 

Hmm. Not sure. It doesn't seem like there is anything to stress them out. If it is that they are one male and one female than it could be they're getting ready to breed.

Yeah I’m not sure if they are female or male. They both look the same to me.

 

Yeah I’m not sure if they are female or male. They both look the same to me.

Yeah, I don't know how to sex fish either. Haha.