School of Pearl Gouramis?

[ProudPapa]

Hello,

I'm delivering almost $50.00 (store credit) worth of plants to an LFS tomorrow. I'm trying to think of what to use the credit on. I have one definite male, another probable male, and what I think are three females in my 40 gallon breeder tank. It's heavily planted, so there's plenty of places for them to hide if they need to. Would it be okay to add two or three more? jinjerJOSH22 ?

And I'm asking regarding compatibility, not stocking levels.

 

[Katie13]

Gouramis aren't schooling fish, but in general, I don't think you'd have much room to do but maybe one more and it would need to be a female. My thoughts: put that store credit toward a new tank! Pet Supplies Plus just started their DPG sale!

 

[NotSoAggressiveAquatics]

Unless there is something you need right now I would save it because you never know when you might want a new fish that they get in stock

 

[jinjerJOSH22]

Hello,

I'm delivering almost $50.00 (store credit) worth of plants to an LFS tomorrow. I'm trying to think of what to use the credit on. I have one definite male, another probable male, and what I think are three females in my 40 gallon breeder tank. It's heavily planted, so there's plenty of places for them to hide if they need to. Would it be okay to add two or three more? jinjerJOSH22 ?

And I'm asking regarding compatibility, not stocking levels.

Sounds like a good idea, I really wanted to do this in my 52 before I moved

 

[Aprilbeingbasic]

that feels like alot of gouramis for just a 40gal.

 

[ProudPapa]

that feels like alot of gouramis for just a 40gal.

We'll see. I added three today.

 

[jinjerJOSH22]

We'll see. I added three today.

I would love to see a picture when the settle

 

[ProudPapa]

I would love to see a picture when the settle

I've had the one male for a year or so, and all the rest are quite a bit smaller than he is. Because of that, and how heavily the tank is planted, it's tough to see more than two or three at a time right now, but I'll do my best.

 

[Dippiedee]

Keep us updated I'd like to know how they get on

 

[ProudPapa]

Keep us updated I'd like to know how they get on

I will try my best to remember that, but I'm getting old and often forget things. (I've always had a bad memory, but now I have something to blame it on.)

I would love to see a picture when the settle

I just took this one. It shows most of them.

 

[jinjerJOSH22]

I just took this one. It shows most of them.

We love everything about that photo, just wow! Absolutely stunning fish and plants

 

[BigBeardDaHuZi]

I've had the one male for a year or so, and all the rest are quite a bit smaller than he is. Because of that, and how heavily the tank is planted, it's tough to see more than two or three at a time right now, but I'll do my best.

Well, now I just want to see the tank more. I love jungle tanks

 

[Mii]

From what I've heard, pearl gouramis are social and not very aggressive.

 

[tomiyama]

I love your picture, they are beautiful. I keep the temperature around 78F for my pearls (1 male, 4 females) and they are richly coloured especially my male. He has a nice dark orange throat, maybe because of his harem, haha. They are a shoaling fish, but there is definitely a pecking order, and the male is definitely the top dog. Then comes the second smallest female, haha. And they "bicker" just before feeding time.

 

[Burdigala]

From what I've heard, pearl gouramis are social and not very aggressive.

They can be aggressive.

 

[ProudPapa]

Well, now I just want to see the tank more. I love jungle tanks

That one definitely qualifies. There might be 20% open space. That's one reason I was willing to try a group this large. There is an abundance of hiding places if there ever is any aggression.

 

[BigBeardDaHuZi]

M

That one definitely qualifies. There might be 20% open space. That's one reason I was willing to try a group this large. There is an abundance of hiding places if there ever is any aggression.

My 14 gallon betta tank is starting to get overgrown. On the one hand, I am happy that the plants are thriving. But the tank is not as pleasing as it was a month ago. I may have to get in there with some scissors and make an opening.
I must confess, now that the big tank is going up, my small one is getting less love

 

[ProudPapa]

Keep us updated I'd like to know how they get on

It's working great so far. Before adding the females the large male would chase the small one fairly often, but that seems to have stopped since I added the females, and now it's not uncommon to see all eight hanging out at the front of the tank, even when it's not feeding time.

 

[Dippiedee]

It's working great so far. Before adding the females the large male would chase the small one fairly often, but that seems to have stopped since I added the females, and now it's not uncommon to see all eight hanging out at the front of the tank, even when it's not feeding time.

That's great! I love pearl gourami I was very tempted to do something similar with my 160 when the plants bulk out. Hearing it's a success I think I will

 

[jinjerJOSH22]

I’m glad it’s working well so far, it’s wonderful keeping Gourami in a group

 

[ProudPapa]

Stealing wafers from the corys.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Anxious to know what will happen when they are matured / in mating mood.

 

[ProudPapa]

Anxious to know what will happen when they are matured / in mating mood.

I will try to remember to update occasionally. I'm a little anxious to find that out also.

 

[tomiyama]

Where is the male? Lounging elsewhere? My pearls do the exact same thing, pick through the gravel for any stray food, they constantly beg too.
My lone male gourami (I adopted him in the summer) is sick right now, he has hole in the head .

 

[ProudPapa]

So . . . back when I had just two gouramis, both males, I gave one to my daughter-in-law. Now she decided to take her tank in a different direction and no longer wanted him, so I took him back. Now I have two mature (or very near mature) males and 7 juveniles. Hopefully only one of the juveniles is male. We'll see how this works out. So far there don't seem to be any issues, but I know I'm probably playing with fire.

 

[Aprilbeingbasic]

So . . . back when I had just two gouramis, both males, I gave one to my daughter-in-law. Now she decided to take her tank in a different direction and no longer wanted him, so I took him back. Now I have two mature (or very near mature) males and 7 juveniles. Hopefully only one of the juveniles is male. We'll see how this works out. So far there don't seem to be any issues, but I know I'm probably playing with fire.

Good luck! My 5 pearls are finally starting to somewhat fall in line. But who knows what will happen once they want babies. Gouramis are so temperamental!

 

[ProudPapa]

Time for another update. So far so good. Here's a picture I just took with 8 of them hanging out near the front of the tank.

 

[kansas]

what are the other fish?

 

[ProudPapa]

what are the other fish?

There are also serpae tetras, pristella tetras, and corydoras trilineatus in the tank, but I think the serpaes are the only ones showing in the picture.

 

[kansas]

There are also serpae tetras, pristella tetras, and corydoras trilineatus in the tank, but I think the serpaes are the only ones showing in the picture.

Thank you.

 

[Lucy]

That's a brave tank. Especially with the serpaes

 

[ProudPapa]

That's a brave tank. Especially with the serpaes

I haven't had any issues with them so far. I've never had fewer than 7 in the tank, and there are 15 now.

 

[Lucy]

That's awesome. I had serpaes many years ago. Mine weren't nippy either, which is unusal them! My neons were worse.

 

[tomiyama]

Beautiful pic! What is the temperature of your tank?

 

[ProudPapa]

Beautiful pic! What is the temperature of your tank?

I haven't stuck a thermometer in it in a while, but I think it's around 76°.

 

[ProudPapa]

I was in front of the tank a few minutes ago and caught all 9 chilling out near the top.

 

[Coradee]

That’s a great shot!

 

[jinjerJOSH22]

I was in front of the tank a few minutes ago and caught all 9 chilling out near the top.

View attachment 781071

Beautiful!
Hmmn kind of hard to see in the photo but it looks like at least 5 males or am I just seeing things?

 

[ProudPapa]

Beautiful!
Hmmn kind of hard to see in the photo but it looks like at least 5 males or am I just seeing things?

You're probably right. When I got the last six I asked for all females, but they were pretty young, and I don't think the young lady catching them had much experience with differentiating between males and females.

 

[ProudPapa]

Beautiful!
Hmmn kind of hard to see in the photo but it looks like at least 5 males or am I just seeing things?

As they're maturing it's looking like seven males and only two females. Maybe that's enough to spread out any aggression, but I don't know. There haven't been any issues so far.

I'd kind of like to add a few more females, but I'm afraid I'd just wind up with more males, and by many people's standards the tank is already wildly overstocked (43 fish in a 40 gallon tank, and the pristella tetras are the smallest). Maybe one day I'll remove the pristella tetras (I like them okay but wouldn't miss them) and then try a few more pearls, hoping for females.

 

[tomiyama]

I can't see the dorsal fin, but to me it almost looks like one male on the far left (with the long pointed dorsal fin) and the orange throat, and a harem of females? Are you able to get a closer pic of your pearls, maybe a couple of them at a time? My curiosity is peaked.

 

[jinjerJOSH22]

I can't see the dorsal fin, but to me it almost looks like one male on the far left (with the long pointed dorsal fin) and the orange throat, and a harem of females? Are you able to get a closer pic of your pearls, maybe a couple of them at a time? My curiosity is peaked.

Most of the dorsal fins are far too long to be females. Pearl females have very short dorsals.

 

[ProudPapa]

I can't see the dorsal fin, but to me it almost looks like one male on the far left (with the long pointed dorsal fin) and the orange throat, and a harem of females? Are you able to get a closer pic of your pearls, maybe a couple of them at a time? My curiosity is peaked.

Most of the dorsal fins are far too long to be females. Pearl females have very short dorsals.

I'm fairly certain that of the nine there are at least six males, and maybe seven.

By the way, I took a lot of the plants out last week to sell, which drastically reduced (but didn't remove) the hiding places. Still no problems.

 

[ProudPapa]

For a week or so I never could see all of them and was starting to get concerned, but then I counted all nine a couple times in the last few days when feeding, so it looks like it's still working okay.

 

[ProudPapa]

I lost one of the males a couple days ago. He'd looked poorly for a few days, with his tail hanging down and not interested in eating. I don't know if he got beat up, or if there was something else going on. The rest look fine.

 

[CraniumRex]

How is everyone doing today? I’m curious because I have 7 pearls in quarantine right now. I’m hoping to put them all in my 55 planted tank but have other tanks I can move some of them to if need be. I have 6 that hang out together and one often off on his own so maybe will put him/her in another tank off the bat. Sorry for the semi-hijack but I’ve been watching this thread with great interest and would love to piggyback off your experience where possible. Thanks!

 

[Motherlovebetta]

How is everyone doing today? I’m curious because I have 7 pearls in quarantine right now. I’m hoping to put them all in my 55 planted tank but have other tanks I can move some of them to if need be. I have 6 that hang out together and one often off on his own so maybe will put him/her in another tank off the bat. Sorry for the semi-hijack but I’ve been watching this thread with great interest and would love to piggyback off your experience where possible. Thanks!

I copied him! I have 5 in my 50. Think they are 4F/1M so everyone gets along nicely. The one that hangs itself sometimes I think is male. He? does team up with the girls quite a bit though. I think I could add more if they were girls. I would personally start them off together and separate them if there is aggression. They are nice to watch together!

 

[CraniumRex]

I copied him! I have 5 in my 50. Think they are 4F/1M so everyone gets along nicely. The one that hangs itself sometimes I think is male. He? does team up with the girls quite a bit though. I think I could add more if they were girls. I would personally start them off together and separate them if there is aggression. They are nice to watch together!

Thanks so much. One of my 7 is definitely male - the others I’m not sure yet but maybe I got lucky and it’s 1M and 6F! Thanks for letting me know. I do love how they interact and all line up. Mine will come to my hands and touch me with their pectoral feelers. In all my years fishkeeping no one local has ever had Pearls so when I saw them I scooped up every one they had.

 

[ProudPapa]

How is everyone doing today? I’m curious because I have 7 pearls in quarantine right now. I’m hoping to put them all in my 55 planted tank but have other tanks I can move some of them to if need be.

I haven't had any issues since losing that one a couple weeks ago.

Sorry for the semi-hijack but I’ve been watching this thread with great interest and would love to piggyback off your experience where possible. Thanks!

Not a problem, and I'm glad you like the thread.

 

[ProudPapa]

I thought it's about time for an update.