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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,

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>

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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