[Dawes]

As the Title says:
Can several Male Opaline Gourami's be successfully kept together?
(I've been to my local LFS and the ones there seem particularly hard to Gender, and as it seems to be 'Pot Luck' with which one's I can have, I was curious if it is possible for Males to be kept with one another.

It is a 240L Aquarium with plenty of large Resin Cichlid Rocks and various other Decor.

Thank you.

 

[Byron]

This species is Trichopodus trichopterus, the Blue Gourami in our profile; there are several variants such as the Opaline, but it is the same species, so the profile info will apply.

It tells how to ID male/female, if that helps you. As for the number, this depends upon the tank setup and the individual fish. This species is best in pairs, or with 2-3 females for each male. Male gourami are all territorial, so breaking up the tank with wood and plants can help. This fish like all gourami spends most of its time in the top half of the aquarium, so floating plants and wood/branches reaching the upper level is advisable.

Byron.

 

[Dawes]

This species is Trichopodus trichopterus, the Blue Gourami in our profile; there are several variants such as the Opaline, but it is the same species, so the profile info will apply.

It tells how to ID male/female, if that helps you. As for the number, this depends upon the tank setup and the individual fish. This species is best in pairs, or with 2-3 females for each male. Male gourami are all territorial, so breaking up the tank with wood and plants can help. This fish like all gourami spends most of its time in the top half of the aquarium, so floating plants and wood/branches reaching the upper level is advisable.

Byron.

Thanks for the info.

I was thinking about getting 4 of them.
Would four Males be alright in a Tank that size, do you think? (Just incase there are only Males, or are too young to Gender / I or the Employee cant Gender them).
If four would be a problem then I might just buy a pair, and as before the same question applies - Would 2 Males be ok together? (Just incase they are all Males, etc).

Just was curious as to peoples personal opinion on the matter, really.

 

[Byron]

Thanks for the info.

I was thinking about getting 4 of them.
Would four Males be alright in a Tank that size, do you think? (Just incase there are only Males, or are too young to Gender / I or the Employee cant Gender them).
If four would be a problem then I might just buy a pair, and as before the same question applies - Would 2 Males be ok together? (Just incase they are all Males, etc).

Just was curious as to peoples personal opinion on the matter, really.

I can't offer much more than I have. If the tank is fairly heavily planted it can work (a 60 g tank is space enough), and then it depends upon the individual fish. Some males become real terrors, killing others, while some don't get this bad. More than one member here has had 2 or 3 of the "blue" gourami and all was well for a while, then one becomes nasty and the other two are dead within a few weeks.

It shouldn't be too hard to discern male/female in the store if you just stand in front of the tank for some time and observe them. The dorsal and anal fins are the key. In the profile photos, the first fish is a female, the second pictured is a male. Getting a male and 2-3 females will be much safer.

 

[Dawes]

It shouldn't be too hard to discern male/female in the store if you just stand in front of the tank for some time and observe them. The dorsal and anal fins are the key. In the profile photos, the first fish is a female, the second pictured is a male. Getting a male and 2-3 females will be much safer.

I was looking at the Fins for quite some time when I was at the store.
5 Minutes or more infact, and there really doesn't seem much between them.
The top Dorsel fin is no where near as pronounced (Sharp/pointed) on any of them in the shop as it is in the second picture displayed of the Male.
The Fins all seemed rather curved like the first picture. However I find it somewhat hard to believe that they were all Female, which is why I am so concerned about their Gender.

(And I know that all the Males were not bought out by others Customers as the LFS only had them delivered the day before, with no Gender Specifications of the Order form, as I asked, as I am a usual Customer to the one store and do spend quite alot of time in there.

I'd really like quite a few of them, but would really rather not risk getting too many Males. Shame really, since they are such lovely looking fish.

 

[Nilet699]

From my minor experience with gourami......and i have 2 male DWARF blue gouramis, so not entirely the same, they have lived together for 2 months. No signs of aggression etc and they spend a lot of their time together.

As per the fins.......i really didnt get this at first either...as i KNEW I had males yet the fins were curved like fems........but if you watch them for long enough, and sometimes 5 mins really isnt long enough for mine when they want to be awkward, the fins will come up to look like the picture Exactly.

 

[thekoimaiden]

You really like the gourami, right? Why not just get ONE? You will still have the gourami you want but at the same time won't have to worry about male/male aggression or breeding if you get a female.

 

[Nilet699]

Added to which, if you REALLY want 4. Your best of going with the above mentioned 1M, 3F combination. I find when looking at new fish etc, ordering offline is more of an option if i want to guarantee what i get as a lot of online stockists here, UK, carry older fish as well as the juvie's. Just something to look into if you really do want 4.