does a gourami eat insects?

coyle

because I want one but also want to get something that can eat the 2lbs of leftover freeze dried mealies & crickets from my reptile I got rid of. I'd like a larger one that could live in a ten gallon tank, either alone or with a mate; any suggestions? I always liked that sunset gourami. One plus is then I don't have to run a bubbler and the tank is closed on top so it can't jump out.
Thanks!

Texasguy

On eatting the insects that's a sometimes and sometimes not. Depends on the fish. I've had some that would and others that wouldn't touch any of them. On keeping them in a 10g tankn there's a few that would be ok in one. Like you mentioned the sunset it's a dwarf and then there's the blue dwarf with a female and a few other ditcher fish like dinoas and a school of tetras. A cleanup crew no more then 6 to 8 fish depending non the size in a 10g tank.

iamntbatman

Mealworms and crickets are both pretty big compared to most fish that would be comfortable living in a 10g. Maybe an African Butterfly Fish, but that's kind of pushing it.

coyle

Do you think a pair of kissing gouramis would be comfortable in a ten gal?
They would be big enough to eat those insects for sure. I'm just thinking of one or two fish in there; maybe some snails for clean up. Now that african butterfly fish is interesting. If I go with ancient fish maybe I'll get one. Put the water in the tank yesterday so got to let it sit for awhile yet.

Cody

Kissing Gouramis have the potential to reach up to 10-12" long. That could never work in a 10G. They would be stunted and couldn't turn around, plus the waste would be huge.

I would also think of an ABF for eating insects. They actually need the live protein in their diet. You can feed them that, plus crickets, small spiders, and flies.

Flashygrrl

You've got to think small when it comes to a 10 gallon...maybe your insects go to waste, maybe not, that's not the important thing. Don't try to make a square peg fit into a round hole. It's a good excuse to get a bigger tank, right?

1077

perhaps it should be noted that prepared fish foods or insects are always safer than feeding live insects to your pets. With the herbicides, and insecticides fertilizers, (ETC) found in areas that these insects, worms ,and others inhabit it would not be safe to expieriment with them.

coyle

Well, they are freeze dried crickets & mealies so they're basically prepared. They were raised to be food: no pesticides for sure.

Ok, think small. Maybe some dwarf puffers? This guy's getting some in tomorrow so I'll go check them out. Might be able to get a look at a ABF.

NirV

Larger tank-->larger fish-->arowana/oscar/african butterfly or whaterver you fancy as long as you do your research. For small insects I find tetras to be the most interested, for large insects my oscar and, surprisingly, my shovelnose catfish that comes to the surface at night :D