# betta and sparkling gourami?



## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

I don't think different types of labryinth fish are supposed to be kept together.


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## Hcancino (Jun 18, 2011)

I'm in no way incouraging it but how do they live in the wild? Surely they come into contact with other males without killing each other? I know out there it's alot more water than 20 gallons but theoretically if you put them in a bigger tank do you think they could be kept together


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## reignOfFred (Jun 7, 2010)

bad idea, mixing up territorial fish that do not get along in the confines of a tank is only looking for trouble - higher stress levels, less territory for them to enjoy in peace, possible outright violence between them. 

I know I would never even think of upsetting the lives of my Pygmy gourami pair by adding any territorial fish to their tank - I know that although it is just 2 small fish in a 29 gallon, that this tank is just a speck of their natural environment. I let them have the tank (with lots of peaceful critters) so they can, and do, explore it all in peace.


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## Seedreemer (Sep 28, 2008)

My sparkler was very territorial. He was constantly swimming around giving the tetras the stink eye, so I can't imagine one getting along with a betta.


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## Bettacrazy (May 22, 2011)

oh ok


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## bags (Jan 30, 2012)

Ummm... I can't agree with any of these posts. 

Sparkling gouramis are fairly timid, do much better in groups of six or more. Sometimes an isolate will get a little nastier. Gouramis that occupy the same level of a tank and use use the same breeding materials can come into conflict with other species of gourami if they are pairing off too bred.

Three spot, blues, golds tend to be the ruffians. Honeys and sparklings are on the other side of the spectrum.

A single betta and a sing sparkling in a well planted 20L should be just fine since they tend to occupy different levels of the tank, and there is cover to retreat to if there are issues.

Sparklings are great fish, and in a lower ph/soft tank usually do well and in the larger groups are more confident and less likely to hide away.

check out this url: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/profiles/sparkling-gourami/

expand the pic...


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## bags (Jan 30, 2012)

wendyjo said:


> I don't think different types of labryinth fish are supposed to be kept together.


One can find dozens if not hundreds of happy multi species labryinth tanks described and pictured on the web.


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## StygianSteel (Apr 2, 2010)

This would be a recipe for disaster. Mixing anabantoids is touchy business at best. Betta Splendens don't really like relatives...


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

bags said:


> One can find dozens if not hundreds of happy multi species mouthbreeder tanks described and pictured on the web.


And you can find just as many posts saying it's a disaster.


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## inareverie85 (Jul 26, 2008)

I've heard that Gouramis and Bettas are closely related and, therefore, will often not get along. I wouldn't risk it.

Also, as far as wild bettas and bred bettas, there are differences. Bettas were originally bred in Asia not only for maximum beauty but also for maximum aggression. They WERE indeed "fighting" fish. Things that could theoretically work in the wild may not necessarily apply to domesticated bettas.


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## Ladayen (Feb 19, 2012)

bags said:


> One can find dozens if not hundreds of happy multi species mouthbreeder tanks described and pictured on the web.


 
Erm.. the labrynth(sp?) is an organ similar to a lung that allows fish to breath air from the surface, out of the water.

Mouthbrooders(Those that carry eggs/fry in their mouth) cannot have a labrynth otherwise the eggs/fry would get stuck in the gills and they would suffocate.

I'm thinking someone misunderstood something. Live and learn.

inareverie85 has it right on. However as mentioned in the profile bags listed, sparkling gourami are one of the few exceptions and can live with one another.. I wouldn't expect a betta to be understanding though.


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## bags (Jan 30, 2012)

StygianSteel said:


> This would be a recipe for disaster. Mixing anabantoids is touchy business at best. Betta Splendens don't really like relatives...


I don't suggest you go from keeping guppies and plastic plants to a large labryinth tank, but, its not only possible, it's quite easy once you get a feel for it. I don't think anyone suggests you can keep all types together with only a nod to the colors and sizes one likes.


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## bags (Jan 30, 2012)

wendyjo said:


> And you can find just as many posts saying it's a disaster.


Is the purpose of this post to raise the level of knowledge here? If so, you have failed. I don't find it instructional some people that don't know what they are doing have failed. I do care that motivated people that would like to know more or actually try it, are not scared off by things such as 3rd hand gossip.


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## bags (Jan 30, 2012)

inareverie85 said:


> I've heard that Gouramis and Bettas are closely related and, therefore, will often not get along. I wouldn't risk it.


You have heard? What about mollies, tetras, and rasboras? Better get the tank dividers out to avoid chaos if you keep multiple members of those groups....

Some Gourami's will nip at long finned species. Many males will spar with each other. Some are rough on small fish. Compared to many barbs and cichlids they are lambs. Even mildly aggressive and well smaller tetra's can drive gourami's into deep cover and keep them there.

The only really nasty gourami I had was the last survivor of a group of six three spots that was very old - about 7. I think he had violent dementia or something similar. He was nasty. That's one out of hundreds over time (~1k if you count fry). 

I don't suggest that you can pick six random varieties like you can with tetra's and expect them to coexist out of the bag forever. But when you figure out where they live in the tank and use advice from people that have done it, and have a well planted tank with good water, you are well on the way.

So in closing - if you are interested, seek out information, and go for it if it is interesting to you. If you are convinced it can't be done - fine - just make sure you qualify you level of practical knowledge so that others will know how much weight to give it.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Perhaps some if the discrepancy is coming form the fact that two different kinds of gourami's are sold as sparkling.
I do not remember which is which. But one is half the size of the other and far more peaceful.
Yet both are labeled as sparkling... so.. that might or might not be it.
I wouldnt pair a betta with my gourami's for fear of the betta. A motivated enough betta could easily chop them in half with one bite. They are really timid and peaceful and having something that aggressive could spell trouble.


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

@bags: you are making some very good points and I do support your encouragement to others to learn and to make intelligent decisions. I feel that your message and your personal experience would resonate much louder with others if delivered in a softer voice. We are all here to learn and to teach.

Cheers.


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## inareverie85 (Jul 26, 2008)

bags said:


> You have heard? What about mollies, tetras, and rasboras? Better get the tank dividers out to avoid chaos if you multiple members of those groups....
> 
> Some Gourami's will nip at long finned species. Many males will spar with each other. Some are rough on small fish. Compared to many barbs and cichlids they are lambs. Even mildly aggressive tetra's can drive gourami's into deep cover and keep them there.
> 
> ...


Yes, I've heard.  Just remember, we are talking about bettas and gouramis here, not just one or the other. You seem to make a fair argument for the gourami, but you haven't spoken much for the betta, and really, aggression in that species is down to the individual. I have one betta who is living peacefully with guppies and one that will attack anything (even otos) except his snails. And Otos certainly don't occupy the same space that he does.

I'm sure you are right that plants and great water quality help; often out of sight is out of mind with fish.. If the OP gets very tolerant individuals of both species, it could work, but the process of that sort of trial and error could spell disaster just as easily as it can be successful. It would just be a shame if one of the two fish in question was stressed to the point of hiding often/all the time. If you can't see your beautiful fish, what's the point?


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## Bettacrazy (May 22, 2011)

well I don't have any room left in my tank anymore considering it has been a while since I last posted in this topic. thanks for the advice anyways for the future!


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## EnigmaticGuppy92 (Jan 31, 2012)

i wouldnt keep them together as they are two different forms of labrinth fish also some gouramis can be nippy so this would not help the bettas finnage also as gourami are deeper bodied fish the betta may also show signs of agrresion dependant upon the individual


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## bags (Jan 30, 2012)

EnigmaticGuppy92 said:


> i wouldnt keep them together as they are two different forms of labrinth fish also some gouramis can be nippy so this would not help the bettas finnage also as gourami are deeper bodied fish the betta may also show signs of agrresion dependant upon the individual


There are plenty of examples of biotope tanks with something like 6 pearls (2 M 4 F), 6 sparkling, 3 Dwarf (1M 2F), 1 Licorice (betta)... please search for them on the web.


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

My dwarf gouramis would terrorize the living hell out of the sparkling and quite possible also the pearl gouramis. I wouldn't risk it unless I had a very large tank. And I would most certainly not risk it with any other gouramis than the most peaceful ones (pearl and sparkling) or bettas.


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## Leon Phaby (Mar 14, 2019)

*I Have Done It*

Hello, I have actually kept a betta in a 40 breeder blackwater tank w/ sparkling gouramis, green neon tetras, dwarf Venezuelan cories and cherry shrimp. There was a lot of places to hide, plants, leaf litter, moss and roots / branches. I saw the betta chase the larger gouramis one day, not a chance in hell of catching them. After that he gave up. He did die, but not from inter-fish violence, 'twas curiosity that killed the betta, got stuck behind a sponge filter chasing a shrimp, I think. The tank is still running and doing pretty well, 3 generations of sparklers now.
I am seriously considering getting another betta, really miss the last one. The tank was running for a while before adding the betta and the cherry shrimp population was solid enough to thrive in spite of the fish snacking on the babies, the sparklers most of all.


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## Kdw1794 (Aug 4, 2021)

reignOfFred said:


> bad idea, mixing up territorial fish that do not get along in the confines of a tank is only looking for trouble - higher stress levels, less territory for them to enjoy in peace, possible outright violence between them.
> 
> I know I would never even think of upsetting the lives of my Pygmy gourami pair by adding any territorial fish to their tank - I know that although it is just 2 small fish in a 29 gallon, that this tank is just a speck of their natural environment. I let them have the tank (with lots of peaceful critters) so they can, and do, explore it all in peace.


I have female Bettas and gouramis in same tank as last ng as it's big enough and had plenty of plants it should be fine


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