Sparkling Gourami Care/advice/experiences

2 weeks ago I brought home the last two sparkling gourami from my LFS. They took a little while to settle and I think the fact the were kept with a group of pea puffers had something to do with it. They've only just started to nip at the surface to feed. They have lots of hiding places, floating plants ext.

Anything I can do to make them happier? What are your experiences with these fish? I love watching them, I think they could be a pair so I really hope j get to see them breeding!

 

First thing you can do it watch those pea puffers.... they can be EXTREMELY bad fin nippers and with a gourami that will NOT go well!!
Hopefully you don’t experience that but I had some very bad experiences with them and killing other fish because of them just attacking everything after a while... once I got rid of them no more problems....

What size is your tank and is that all you have is the puffers and gouramis?

They like lots of thick plants... and unfortunately should really be kept in schools of like absolutely minimum of 4 but 8 or more is a better number... that will lessen their stress for sure... so if you have room get more... as I mentioned they school so you really should up your numbers...

They like slow water flow... a good plant to have for them is something like amazon frogbit... all gouramis pretty much love it because it’s a floater that hangs down... they also wouldn’t mind some hiding places... caves... hallowed our logs etc

Those are just a few tips off the top of my head
Hope they help!

 

Francine I don't think they're being kept with any puffers. It sounds like they had been kept with puffers at the lfs.

 

First thing you can do it watch those pea puffers.... they can be EXTREMELY bad fin nippers and with a gourami that will NOT go well!!
Hopefully you don’t experience that but I had some very bad experiences with them and killing other fish because of them just attacking everything after a while... once I got rid of them no more problems....

What size is your tank and is that all you have is the puffers and gouramis?

They like lots of thick plants... and unfortunately should really be kept in schools of like absolutely minimum of 4 but 8 or more is a better number... that will lessen their stress for sure... so if you have room get more... as I mentioned they school so you really should up your numbers...

They like slow water flow... a good plant to have for them is something like amazon frogbit... all gouramis pretty much love it because it’s a floater that hangs down... they also wouldn’t mind some hiding places... caves... hallowed our logs etc

Those are just a few tips off the top of my head
Hope they help!

I don't have puffers at home, they were kept beside them in the LFS. I would have gotten another 4-6 if I could but the LFS only had these two left.
There is a ton of anacharis in the tank that they like hiding in, lots of Sylvania too as well as a couple of hygro. They don't seem afraid to be out in the open, just a little cautious.

First thing you can do it watch those pea puffers.... they can be EXTREMELY bad fin nippers and with a gourami that will NOT go well!!
Hopefully you don’t experience that but I had some very bad experiences with them and killing other fish because of them just attacking everything after a while... once I got rid of them no more problems....

What size is your tank and is that all you have is the puffers and gouramis?

They like lots of thick plants... and unfortunately should really be kept in schools of like absolutely minimum of 4 but 8 or more is a better number... that will lessen their stress for sure... so if you have room get more... as I mentioned they school so you really should up your numbers...

They like slow water flow... a good plant to have for them is something like amazon frogbit... all gouramis pretty much love it because it’s a floater that hangs down... they also wouldn’t mind some hiding places... caves... hallowed our logs etc

Those are just a few tips off the top of my head
Hope they help!

Also it's a 55l dennerle scapers tank

Also it's a 55l dennerle scapers tank

Don't mind the spinach in there it's for the amanos, hopefully it'll be ideal one the plants grow taller, but they seem to feel safe in them for now.

 

Sorry my apologies... I must have just mid read it... better wake up before I start typing next time lol
And it doesn’t have to be amazon frogbit... any plant can do just fine... it’s fairly normal for them to act like that because 1- they like to hide in plants and 2 it takes a bit for them to get used to it.. but as long as they are coming out into the open to eat and stuff then I’d say you are ok
I would just keep checking to see if they get more or ask if they can get you more of them

 

I would recommend adding some idian almond leaves. I think they make tanks look more natural and the tannns are good for them.

Offer small frozen foods. Daphnia and brineshrimp are good.

Don't worry about getting more. A pair will be fine.