Chocolate Gourami

I was pretty surprised when I ran into these little guys at a lfs that aren't really known for stocking exotics and the price was dirt cheap as well so I bought all 4 they had for R30 a fish. According to the owner they are tank bred so they aren't as sensitive as the wild caught ones, will see how they do in my tank. But they should do just fine as I have other sensitive fish like Rummy Noses and German Rams

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Nice. I've taken a real liking to Gouramis now. Think they're my new favourite fish

 

Nice catch!!!

 

@francoisve: Thanks did you get the article I sent you?

 

Awesome! Gourami's have awesome personality.

 

Yip thanks @Swagasaurus Going on holiday to Zanzibar next week and plan to collect some wild fish so was very interested to hear what Bela had to say. Got hold of him since via email and he has given me some tips... Hold thumbs...

 

I also got 4 about 3 weeks ago. They fit in really well. They dont seem to be as sensitive as the web suggests. Initially their colour was a bit washed out but now the brown is nice and dark and the yellow stripes really stand out nicely

 

@francoisve: Take lots of pictures, and post them here when you get back

 

@TheGrissom: I am a firm believer in the mantra that if a fish can survive in a lfs tanks water it would do fine in yours.

 

Short term anything can survive in bad conditions. The problem with these choc gouramis is they do not last long.

 

@Vis: I was told the same thing about the Galaxy Rasbora's I had, but I had them for almost 2 years before I sold them.

 

I have had mine almost 3 weeks now and they are looking great. Lots of plants in the tank as well as a few threadfin and blue eye rainbowfish. Water temp about 26 ºC. I think I read somewhere that they can live 4 or 5 years (dont quote me on this though - it may have been a different fish I was researching at the time). I was told by the store owner that he had had them for 3 weeks as well. Paid R45 a fish.

 

@TheGrissom: Yeah they do live between 4-5 years. R45 still not bad considering awhile back I saw them for R 75 a fish...

 

Nice find! I've wanted those for years, but whenever they were available, I didn't have the space, or they were riddled with Ich and I left them at the store. They are way more sensitive than your GBR, Rummy's or Galaxies. But damned nice fish!

 

Well good news is that they are feeding, but I have to create two feeding spots for them and for the other fish otherwise they get spooked.

 

First night and all of them survived, I am guessing I have only males as they have staked out a piece each of the tank.

 

Mine tend to stay fairly close together. At least 3 of them do. The other one seems to be dominant and defends a territory on the open side of my tank while the others are more in my plants in a little group mostly. But feeding time all of them mix. They dont spook at all but then again they are the largest fish in my tank. They seem to pay very little attention to the smaller fish.

 

@TheGrissom: What are you feeding yours? Will they take flakes? I gave them some frozen foods last night but that only happens once a month for my fish.

 

I dont feed flakes at all. I have cichlid pellets as well as community pellets. I mix these in a mortar and pestle and then grind them into a dust (I do this as the threadfins have small throats and stuggle to take even small food). I feed this twice a day. Wednesdays and Saturdays I feed bloodworm (that I defrost in a shot glass and then cut into tiny pieces using aquarium scissors - again for the threadfins) and then Sundays I feed brine shrimp. My chocs take all of it without hesitation.

 

Are they 100% carnivorious?