Boston Aquarium Society Message Board

Everytime I get guaramis for my community tropical tank, the don't do well. It is never quick. They just start out happy and end up dying. No other species in the tank have issues, except maybe the platys which just don't seem to live very long.

I have a quiet silver dollar, a pleco (getting big), some mollies, some tetras, an angel who is bossy, but not hostil, some zebra danios. The last guarami (blue neon), I had moved to the guppy tank, because he was being harrrassed and now he is either lying on the ground or vertical - almost motionless.

I am beginning to think that there is a condition in the tank that doesn't support happy guaramis.

What is the basic guarami requirement? I really like them, but they don't seem to do well in my tank.

Thanks for any info that you can offer.

I change my water often and my ammonia, nitrate levels are consistently good. The water is crystal clear.

Thanks.

What type of gouramis are you talking about? Dwarfs?

Have you ever tested your alkalinity or water hardness? Do you know your pH? What size is your tank? What type of filter do you have?

Last, and possibly most telling, question - where do you buy your fish?

Gouramis are usually pretty hardy but if you're losing platys also, it's pretty likely that something is awry...

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Mmmm.... fishies.

I agree with the last posting. Dwarf Gourmis (Colisa lalia) and 3 Spot/Blue Gouramis (Trichogaster trichopterus) like soft slightly acid water, but they can usually do very well as long as the extremes are avoided. If the gourami is being harassed, this could contribute to stress and eventual death. Gourmis and Bettas are very slow swimmers and do not like to be chased.

It may not be your tank(water quality). Its probably the fish you are buying.A lot of Gouramis I've seen in petstores are really bad quality.The Dwarf Gourami is probably especialy inbred so they can get the bright colors in the males.