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| FAQs on
Colisa chuna, the Honey Gourami
Related Articles: Anabantoids/Gouramis & Relatives,
Genera Ctenopoma & Microctenopoma,
Betta splendens/Siamese Fighting Fish,
Related FAQs: Dwarf Gouramis,
Dwarf Gourami Identification,
Dwarf Gourami Behavior,
Dwarf Gourami Compatibility,
Dwarf Gourami Selection,
Dwarf Gourami Systems, Dwarf Gourami Feeding,
Dwarf Gourami Disease,
Dwarf Gourami Reproduction, & FAQs on:
Gouramis 1,
Gouramis 2,
Gourami Identification,
Gourami Behavior,
Gourami Compatibility,
Gourami Selection,
Gourami Systems,
Gourami Feeding,
Gourami Disease,
Gourami Reproduction,
Betta splendens/Siamese Fighting Fish, |
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Blackening Honey Gouramis
9/10/09
Hey there Crew! I've been frantically Googling everything since I
discovered my dwarf honey gouramis turning black/gray! I'm not sure of
the exact breed or species, as the pictures don't really match a honey
Gourami.
Nonetheless, the fish are eating (and excreting) properly and not
lethargic. Just an odd color change. I'm hoping it is pigment getting
picked off my wood (which they have been nibbling nonstop) or the
gravel,
which is black. Is this a possibility? Or is there some underlying cause
and an illness soon to come? I cannot see any other physical or
behavioral problems. The darkening, however, did start when I introduced
two dwarf (not honey) gouramis to the tank- which were very aggressive
and taken out 24 hours later. Could it just be stress? By the way, tank
parameters are running fine with nitrates and nitrites at 0. Hardness is
50ppm, buffering 80ppm, pH 7.2. Tankmates are some neon and black neon
tetras. Tank capacity, 29 gallons. I'm attaching a not-so-good picture
to help describe the problem and perhaps give you an idea of the
species.
Any help or advice would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Anitra
<Hello Anitra. Male Honey Gouramis change colour when breeding. Are you
sure this isn't what's happening here? Females are pretty drab
yellow-silver with a black band along the midline of the fish, but males
will develop a black "breast" that runs from the snout past the pelvic
fin feelers right onto the anal fin. Your photo doesn't really show me
much of anything, so you'll need to send me a better photo if you want
confirmation. I wouldn't mix this species, Colisa chuna, with Dwarf
Gouramis, Colisa lalia, for a variety of reasons, but not least of which
are the differences in size. Males of the Dwarf Gouramis can bully Honey
Gouramis since they're that much bigger. Bullying can indeed lead to
colour changes as fish show their stress colouration (typically an
attempt to signal to the aggressor that they aren't a threat). Dwarf
Gouramis also
tend to be very sickly, and vast numbers carry viral diseases I wouldn't
risk spreading to fish as delicate as Honey Gouramis. As I'm sure you
know, Honey Gouramis are sensitive fish that need soft, acidic water to
do well; your other tankmates should be fine, though Neons do, to be
fair, prefer somewhat cooler water than Gouramis. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Blackening Honey Gouramis 9/10/09
Thanks for the reply! It doesn't seem to be a breeding thing as my females
are graying (full body) as well.
<Oh. Then assume stress of some sort, and review conditions. I'd start by
looking at how the two Gourami species interact. Gouramis generally are
intolerant of one another, and males will be mutually antagonistic, and
often tend to be fairly hard on unreceptive females as well. Does vary, but
observe and act accordingly.>
The Neons and the gouramis, however, have begun to randomly "itch" on
plants.
<Typically a sign of irritation. Can be caused by Ick (Whitespot) and
Velvet, but things like ammonia, nitrite, and rapid changes in pH will also
cause similar behaviour, albeit for different reasons.>
Could this be another symptom showing through?
<Yes.>
As for being true honey gouramis or not- I really am not sure. Petsmart had
them labeled as dwarf sunset gouramis.
<These are Colisa lalia, i.e., Dwarf Gouramis, not Honey Gouramis.>
Not sure if that name is worth anything as I can't connect it to a species
name! I really hope it's not the dwarf Gourami virus.
<Symptoms usually very specific: lethargy, loss of appetite, swelling,
appearance of bloody sores on the body, death. It goes without saying that
Dwarf Gouramis can get sick for all sorts of other reasons too, this is just
one more thing to worry about. I've long given up on the species, and only
recommend locally bred specimens, not farmed specimens from Southeast Asia.
At the very least, quarantine all Dwarf Gouramis for at least 6 weeks before
adding them to your display tank.>
The water is being maintained at about 78F, and I'm hoping the wood is able
to naturally bring down the pH a bit.
<Bogwood acidifies water to a degree, but I wouldn't rely on it, and
certainly not without having some understanding of water chemistry and how
to regulate pH.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/fwh2oquality.htm
>
Thanks again for the help!
-Anitra
<Cheers, Neale.>
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Re: Blackening Honey Gouramis 9/11/09
Thanks Neale, for all the help.
<No problem.>
I've been working to stop the discoloration. Water parameters are still
testing at the same levels reported last time (0 nitrites, 0 nitrates,
7.2pH, I will go get ammonia tested today at the LFS).
<All sounds good so far.>
Behaviors of the dwarf honey sunsets (I think I accidentally said dwarf
sunsets last email, they are "dwarf honey sunsets" at the LFS) are
normal, no pecking nipping or biting, other than the casual "get out of
my way" type of behavior by annoying the other with their feelers.
<As you say, pretty normal.>
I have some "gold honey dwarf gouramis" which are a lemony yellow, as
well.
<All variations of Colisa lalia, though some might be hybrids, it's
really not altogether clear to those of us who study such things.>
Same size (1.5inches) but a much shyer temperament. They are not
changing colors, yet eating the same stuff and living in the same
conditions. Back to the dwarf sunset honeys, their bellies are still
orange, yet the back and head is gray (male and females). Also, the male
randomly has a twitch when swimming sideways against the filter current.
Is this normal, or internal parasites? He is the only male of his
species, with 3 females of his own. None of the others have the odd
jerky twitch. He basically swims, curls and straightens, all in one
movement. Nothing too frequent, but odd to watch and worrisome.
<Ah, now, sometimes when fish have nerve damage, their colours change.
Unlike us, fish can control and change the colours on their bodies. If
the nerves are damaged, for example by injury or by disease, their
colour changes.>
I'm really sorry to ramble and go on and on, I just don't want them to
die.
I have the ability to take them back to the store, but I know they won't
treat him if he is coming down with anything. Therefore, I would like to
be responsible and do what I can for the little guy.
<There's really very little you can do. A general antibiotic might be
used, ideally in his food, but otherwise added to the water. Maracyn and
Maracyn II each treat about half the likely bacteria, so trying the
first one
first, and then if that doesn't help, Maracyn II, gives you a reasonably
broad range of action. Optimising living conditions will help, of
course.
But that's really about it.>
Thanks again!
<Cheers, Neale.>
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My friends fish. 8/6/09
Hi there!
My friend hasn't got a computer so I am just asking a quick question
for her. She has two male honey Gourami's. One of the Gourami's barbell
has started to fray, is this anything to worry about?
Thanks a lot.
Sincerely Grace
<Quite possibly Finrot. Have your friend review conditions and act
accordingly. Honey Gouramis need 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite, and the pH
should be somewhere between 6 and 7.5. Finrot should be treated with a
suitable
antibacterial; for UK aquarists, would recommend eSHa 2000. Don't waste
your time with salt or tea-tree oil medications. Cheers, Neale.>
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Re: Ancistrus
help! (selection; also Colisa chuna; toxic fumes) 3/26/09
Thank you Neale - your responses are always helpful and prompt which is just
great!
<Happy to help.>
I think the 'shark' will have to find a new home soon, before he chases
anyone or harasses them. My local pet shop has some baby Ancistrus bred in
the shop (very nice they are too) I will see if he will do me a swap. Will
also consider a few more upside down catfish in a couple of weeks.
<Cool. Baby Ancistrus don't always travel well, or more specifically, they
can become starved in pet shop tanks, and so lack the energy reserves to
handle transportation and being settled into a new home where they may have
to compete for food. If their specimens are clambering about on the glass,
take a peek at their bellies: they should not be concave. Some of the better
pet stores keep bits of cucumber in their tanks for the Ancistrus to nibble
on, in which case, so much the better.>
Sadly today I lost a little Gourami (I missed these off my list, they are
small golden or honey Gourami, also adopted from someone just before
Christmas) yesterday evening it did not feed, this morning before school run
it was struggling to swim against the current of the filter - dead when I
got back from school. No external signs of any illness at all.
<Colisa chuna is not an easy species to keep, despite its wide availability.
Indeed, when I started keeping fish as a teenager back in 1980s, they were
considered quite "specialist" fish because of their need for soft, acidic
water. So when you saw them, they were usually expensive. Nowadays they are
mass produced on farms, including some non-natural colour forms like the one
in your image. While they may be less expensive and certainly easier to
obtain, I'm not yet convinced they're "easy" fish. I wouldn't really
consider them community fish, but rather better kept in either a
single-species aquarium or in a tank with very small, non-aggressive fish
such as Marbled Hatchetfish or Dwarf Corydoras.>
I tested the water again - it was as it was on Monday after the water
change, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate.
<All sounds fine.>
Now I am a bit paranoid. Last weekend I varnished some wood nearby, but I
kept the doors to the room the tank is in shut, and all the windows around
the varnished area open. Other than this nothing has changed.
<Ah, in theory, yes, paint and varnish fumes can kill fish. Since Gouramis
breathe air directly, they'd be especially at risk; fish that breathe water
will only be exposed to the smaller percentage of the toxic chemical that
dissolved in water. That said, if you open windows, you certainly can paint
rooms and whatnot without expecting all your fish to die. I would recommend
leaving the windows open for at least 24 hours after using paint/varnish
though. If you were worried, this would be one of those times where adding
fresh carbon to the filter would make sense; carbon removes organic
chemicals, reducing the risk of harm. As you may know, carbon is used for
precisely this function in gas masks for humans as well as in emergency
medicine for removing poisons.>
I am keeping a very close eye for signs of unusual behavior now. At present
everyone else is feeding well (flake and algae wafer this morning) and all
darting about merrily.
<Cool.>
Attached is a pic of my Gourami (pre death!) He had a big bit of dorsal fin
missing when I got him (he came from another local person getting rid of
fish), which did not seem to affect him at all.
<Fins usually grow back in time, so unless there's Finrot or Fungus, damage
to the fins isn't something that I personally worry about when selecting
fish. If you look at photos of wild fish from the Amazon, they've all got
bloody great chunks of fin missing thanks to the numerous fin-eating
characins!>
Thanks
Sarah
(enjoying my new subscription to PFK and spotted your name in it..)
<Glad you're enjoying the magazine.
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Sexing Honey Gourami 3/12/2009
Hi,
I recently bought a couple of beautiful Honey Gourami and cannot figure out
the sexes? As far as I've researched females and males look the however the
males are more brilliant in colour. Mine are a beautiful honey colour and am
thinking they are both male???? I attached a picture of them, can you tell
what they are????? There are two of them and they look identical to me?
Thank you,
Sheri
<Sheri, you have the artificial form rather than the proper wild-type fish,
so advice on sexing these fish won't really help. In proper Colisa chuna,
the sexes look fairly similar outside of spawning, basically honey brown,
but when sexually mature males become brighter, almost orangey, and develop
a large black patch across the face and down along the ventral surface.
Females also tend to have a dark longitudinal band along the midline of the
body, but stressed males will show this feature as well, so it isn't 100%
reliable. The males of the artificial forms don't seem to show much colour
variation, and if the females are traded at all, I have no idea how to tell
them apart. At least some retailers stock colour-enhanced or dyed fish,
further complicating the issue. Your photos aren't sharp enough for me to
hazard a guess, so the best I can do is recommend you observe your fish
closely for behavioural differences. Only males build bubblenests, and only
males exhibit territoriality. Cheers, Neale.>
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Re: Sexing Honey Gourami 3/12/2009
Thank you very much for your help, I appreciate it! I had no idea they were
artificial or that that was possible. I am new to this hobby and absolutely
love it however I feel every store I go to either gives me bad information
or no information. I thank you very much for this site and I think what I'll
do is call the store :)
Thanks again,
Sheri
<Hello Cheri. We're happy to help. Yes, these are an artificial (in the
sense of bred by humans) form deliberately selected for these colours rather
than their natural ones. There's nothing wrong with them though, for all
that! It does seem a lot of stores, particularly the big chain pet stores,
stock male fish only. So obtaining females can be hard work. As for
information from your pet store, while some stores are good, and some less
good, nothing beats doing your own research first. Visit your public library
and peruse the pet fish section. Find a book you like, and settle down for a
couple hours reviewing the types of fish you want to keep,
checking their specific needs. Honey Gouramis for example are small, a
little on the delicate side, and easily bullied. Mixing them with peaceful
tetras such as Neons would be fine, but adding something nippy like Black
Widow tetras or Serpae tetras wouldn't be at all wise. Since Mollies need
salt, whereas Honey Gouramis need soft water, this would be another bad
combination. And so on! It's much like gardening: thousands of plants out
there, but only a tenth would work together in your garden considering size,
soil type, winter temperatures and so on. Cheers, Neale.> Re: Sexing Honey Gourami
3/16/2009
Hi,
I called the store I purchased my Gourami from and he said they were
gold honey Gourami????
<Yes.>
He didn't mention anything about them being artificial, I didn't ask,
I'm not that concerned. However the other night, and I've seen it a
couple times since, I've seen them do a little dance, they start
circling while
turned into each from head to toe and spin around slowly.
<Do fish have toes? Heh, heh.>
They don't seem like their being aggressive or anything???? Is this a
mating dance of some sort????
<Could be either. When fish fight, the head-to-tail display is common:
by swishing water at each others' faces, each fish gets an idea of how
strong the other fish is, so can make the decision about whether to swim
away or keeping fighting. At least some male/female pairings are
similar, probably for the same reason, each fish sizing up the health of
its potential mate.>
Sheri
<Cheers, Neale.>
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Poorly Gourami (Red Robins; taxonomy, health)
2/11/09
Hello Crew!
I've had a look all over the internet
and at your recently answered question but haven't found anything that
really applies to the problem my Gourami has, so i hope you don't mind
me emailing!
He's is a 'red robin' honey Gourami who i have had for
about 6 months and always been well. Yesterday i came home to find him
sitting at the bottom of the tank with a slightly rounded underside -
just around where i assume his swim bladder is, at the base of his
feelers. He was moved about a week ago from my previous 30 litre tank to
a new 120 litre. I have given the tank a water change and the water
results are still within the normal parameters (I'm going to test again
this evening). I've also put some peeled peas into the tank but he
doesn't seem to be interested in them. He is currently sitting at the
bottom of the tank and taking the occasional trip to the surface for a
quick gulp of air, then sinking slowly back to the bottom. Also, when
he's swimming he seems to be finding it difficult and his lips look a
bit greyer than usual.
The only other thing apart from the new tank,
that has changed, is that i bought 3 small Corys at the weekend, one of
which died within 48 hours after barely moving. My second honey Gourami
is still behaving absolutely normal and the 2 remaining Corys are
perfectly fine. Can you give me any advice? Should i quarantine him?
I've also been reading
about some antibiotics that aren't compatible
with gouramis and others that shouldn't be used when Corys are in the
tank!
Any info you could send would be great - i can't get to my
local fish shop until tomorrow evening.
Many thanks for your time
Jess
<Hello Jess. Red Robin Gouramis are curious fish because nobody
really knows what they are! Several different fish are sold under the
name, most commonly a hybrid between Trichogaster chuna and Colisa
lalia, often, though not always, fed with colour-enhancing foods to make
their colours brighter than they actually are. Quality is extremely
variable, and like a lot of fish mass produced in Southeast Asia,
bacterial infections can be a real problem because of the widespread use
of antibiotics on the fish farms. Whilst they don't seem to get the
dreaded Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus (DGIV) they aren't the hardiest of fish
and lifespan is often rather short.
Sometimes Red Robins are merely
red-coloured Colisa lalia, in which case DGIV is a risk, as well as all
the usual bacterial problems Dwarf Gouramis are prone to. Inbreeding is
an issue here, and indeed with almost any fish
that doesn't have its
wild-type colouration. That's a point worth reiterating: when you shop
for tropical fish and you decide to get a "fancy" form, you're doing a
trade-off between genetics and physical appearance. Finally, some Red
Robins are fancy Honey Gouramis. Again, inbreeding is an issue, but on
top of that you have the problem that
Trichogaster chuna is simply
not a fish that does well in hard water, so unless you have soft,
slightly acidic water conditions, it's a species to avoid. Having laid
out the problems identifying the fish, treatment is somewhat difficult
to suggest. DGIV is impossible to cure, so if that's the case, there's
nothing much to do beyond painless destruction of the fish. Internal
bacterial infections are extremely common among these fish, and only
reliably treated with antibiotics. In the UK, these have to be obtained
from a vet, and the so-called "anti-internal bacteria" treatments sold
in fish shops in the UK are, frankly, useless. Never once heard of a
fish cured of anything by using them. Antibiotics used properly (i.e.,
as per your vet's instructions) will be perfectly safe with your
Gourami.
Internal bacterial infections often caused abdominal
swelling followed by distinctive raising of the scales along the flank,
so that viewed from above the fish looks like a pine cone. At that stage
a cure is unlikely and again, painless destruction is the only humane
option.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/euthanasia.htm
Constipation is
a problem with Gouramis since most are partially herbivorous in the
wild, and careless aquarists often forget this essential fact. If
squashed tinned (or cooked) peas aren't accepted, then Daphnia may be,
and these are almost as good. Obviously Gouramis are slow feeders, and
if there are tetras or barbs in there, the Daphnia will be eaten long
before the Gourami gets a therapeutic "dose", so you'll have to work
around that using a hospital tank of some sort. If the Gourami is
healthy-looking apart from the swollen abdomen, then constipation may be
the issue. Adding Epsom salt at 1 to 3 teaspoons per 5 gallons can help
with constipation alongside the high-fibre foods, but remember to stop
adding Epsom salt once the fish is better.
Hope this helps, Neale.>
Honey Gourami ID 10/17/08
Hello Crew,
I had read great things about the Honey Gourami: small, peaceful,
reasonably hardy, and beautiful, so when I came across these at the LFS, I sort
of impulse bought this pair of fish. They were labeled as 'Honey Gourami, Colisa
sota, but after bringing them home and doing some more research, I don't think
these are really Honey Gouramis. I read on WWM and other sites that these bright
red fish may be hybrids
or sports of another species.
<Indeed; suspect
that is the case here. In any event, not a "wild-type" fish of any species. Not
pure Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia) or Honey Gourami (Trichogaster chuna) either.
There are fish sold as "red honey Gouramis" and these are of unknown genetics
and maybe even different fish in different countries.>
I've compared my fish
to pictures of C. lalia, fasciata, labiosa, and sota, and they look close but
not exact.
<Agreed, certainly not the wild-type of any of them. They have a
too-long body (to my eyes) to be Colisa lalia or Trichogaster chuna. Actually
look like some sort of hybrid with Colisa fasciata because of the length of the
body.>
My questions are: What species are they? Are these hybrids? Will
hybrids reproduce?
<Some hybrids will breed without problems. It's a case of
"try it and see".>
One has a pointed spear-shaped dorsal tip, and the other's
is shorter and rounded. However, looking at them with a light behind, they both
have identically shaped viscera and swim bladders (at least to my eyes, and I
don't really know what to look for). How are they sexed?
<Likely the one with
longer fins is the male.>
Do I have a pair? Are females generally not
sold/available?
<In some markets (e.g., the US) female Dwarf Gouramis aren't
sold, but certainly here in England male and female Gouramis of all types are
available.>
Their color did not fade in the bag on the way home, nor in the
white bucket that I put them in to acclimate. They remain as bright red as they
were at the LFS. Does that mean they are artificially colored?
<May be
enhanced somewhat by using colour-enhancing food, but the basic colouration has
been bred into them.>
I hope I didn't buy injected, dipped or otherwise dyed
fish.
<Nope.>
Thank you,
Nathan
<Cheers, Neale.>
Angelfish, Gourami, and Compatibility - 02/07/2007
Hi my name is Sharon Goglin.
<Hi Sharon, my name is Sabrina Fullhart.>
I am 10 years old and pretty much a beginner with fish.
<Wonderful!>
I have a big Marbled Angelfish and a Gourami with an orange-red tail.
<Uh-oh! The Gourami with the orange-red tail is probably a very young
Osphronemus laticlavius; this is the giant red-tail Gourami. Here is a
little bit of information about them: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=16572&genusname=Osphronemus&speciesname=laticlavius
. This is the only Gourami that I know of off the top of my head that
has an orange-red tail. This fish will get HUGE - 50 centimeters (20
inches) long! Also, they are notoriously aggressive.>
I put these fish together and they keep pecking at each other, and I
don't know if they are really hurt.
<One or the other will be in time.>
But every time I look at them they keep going at each other. I don't
have another tank, and my mom or dad won't buy another one because I
have 5 (I'm an animal freak!).
<Well, a tank big enough for a 20 inch fish would need to be over a
hundred gallons anyway - and though your Gourami will take a long time
to get that big, he will, eventually.>
And I want to put my Gourami in the other 4 tanks but I don't know if
they are compatible with Male Bettas, Female Bettas, Guppies, or
Goldfish.
<If the goldfish are very large, and in a very large tank, he might be
okay with them, but only for a while. I would really recommend trading
him back to the fish shop for something more compatible with your other
fishes.>
Are Angelfish and Gourami even compatible?
<Not really, for the most part. Trichogaster leeri, the Pearl Gourami,
would be a much safer option. These are much more "relaxed" and not as
aggressive as some other Gourami species. Dwarf Gourami are usually
less aggressive, as well, and some are very, very pretty.>
How do I stop the pecking?
<They will only stop when one is removed from the tank, unfortunately.>
I NEED HELP!
<Well, you're off to a good start, looking here and researching!>
Thanks, -Sharon
<Thank you for writing to us, Sharon! All the best to you, -Sabrina> |
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Angelfish, Gourami, and Compatibility - 02/08/2007
Hi! It's me, Sharon again!
<Hi, Sharon!>
Is this the kind of Gourami you had in mind?
<Nope, not at all! This is Trichogaster chuna, usually called the Honey
Gourami. This little fellah should stay rather small - under three
inches for sure, probably closer to two. They're often great community
fish, but sometimes the males are very aggressive. If the tank is large
enough (say, 30 gallons or so), the angelfish and the Gourami might
eventually stake out their territories and stop trying to fight, but if
either of them seems to be getting hurt at all, you really will need to
take one or the other out. The Gourami would not do well with goldfish,
since goldfish like cooler water, but female Bettas or guppies might
make good tankmates, IF the tank is big enough for him to not feel
"crowded."
This is exactly what my fish looks like!
<They're very pretty, aren't they? One of my favorites!>
Thanks Again, -Sharon
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina> |
Red honey Gourami, Trichogaster chuna, gen.
care - 11/20/07
Hello Crew,
<Hello Mark.>
Currently I have 20 gallon moderately planted tank with following fish:
2 golden rams
6 harlequin Rasboras
4 Oto cats
I'd like to add 2 Gouramis, preferably honey.
I've never kept Gourami before and I'd like to ask few questions:
Do I have space to add any fish?
<In terms of water quality, yes. But the Rams may take exception to competition
for space at the bottom, and will beat the life out of small Gouramis.>
Are Gouramis and rams compatible?
<In my opinion, no. I don't personally consider labyrinth fish (climbing perch,
Gouramis and Bettas) to be compatible with cichlids. They demand similar
resources, but cichlids tend to be more aggressive. There are exceptions to
this, but as a rule, I personally recommend keeping one or the other except in
really big tanks.>
Will Gouramis destroy my plants?
<No.>
What is red honey Gourami?
<It's a tank-bred variant of Trichogaster chuna, or maybe a hybrid between
Colisa lalia and Trichogaster chuna, or even a plain vanilla Trichogaster chuna
that's been "juiced" up with colour-enhancing foods. Opinions vary. In any
event, they're cranked out of Southeast Asia and have a less than stellar
reputation of hardiness and longevity.>
Are they hardy fish?
<No. Even plain vanilla Trichogaster chuna are delicate fish in anything other
than soft, acid water. Fancy varieties would be a notch or two down from even
that.>
What kind of fish would you recommend for my tank if Gourami is a bad choice?
<I'd perhaps look for things to live at the *top* of the tank, where the Rams
won't be going. Small livebearers, such as Endler guppies, aren't an option
because you need soft, acid water for Rams. The high temperatures Rams need
(26-30 C) cross Danios off the list, too. But certain killifish such as
Aplocheilichthys normani might be an option, as would Nomorhamphus spp.
halfbeaks. Hatchetfish can work very nicely in well-maintained tanks, though
they are somewhat delicate at first and tend to be nervous unless kept in
reasonable numbers (six at least).>
Thank you for your help,
Mark
<Cheers, Neale.>
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