# Sparkling Gourami's? I would love to know more.



## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

From my experience, sparkling gouramis are really shy, so they might not be a great "centerpiece" fish. Mine only comes out for feeding time. They don't bother other fish but will occasionally nip at shrimp just to show them who's boss. They will definitely eat shrimplets if you have any. 

Ideally you would want a male and a female. I've had no luck sexing them in stores. Or maybe a trio. With two males together, one will stress the other one out and kill him. 

They are very deliberate feeders and will have trouble competing against bigger/faster fish for food. Mine lives with phoenix rasboras and he waits for them to be done eating before he comes out to eat. 

As far as color, it greatly depends on how the light hits them, what kind of lighting you have, how dark your substrate is, and how old your fish is. The older, the more colorful. From far away this fish will just look grey with blue eyes. They're best appreciated up close. 

They're absolutely gorgeous when the light hits them the right way though and they have really neat personalities. Not your typical mindless swimmer. Hope this helps!


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

FriendsNotFood said:


> From my experience, sparkling gouramis are really shy, so they might not be a great "centerpiece" fish. Mine only comes out for feeding time. They don't bother other fish but will occasionally nip at shrimp just to show them who's boss. They will definitely eat shrimplets if you have any.
> 
> Ideally you would want a male and a female. I've had no luck sexing them in stores. Or maybe a trio. With two males together, one will stress the other one out and kill him.
> 
> ...


Since my tank is so low light I might just tailor the lighting to making the fish and the plants look good... 

The only other fish are some corydoras habrosus and they mainly stay at the bottom of my tank.. Not to frantic of a swimmer. And they only eat off the bottom.. So hopefully it will be a good match fish wise.. Especially during feeding time... 

My substrate is white sand lol... I'm used to it washing fish out though... I do not mind it too much...
I would think 3 is a bit much for this tank.. If I cannot secure male and female.. Would one by itself work?

And the eyes on those are amazing.. amazing!!! The tank is only about 4 feet from my bed so hopefully I'm close enough!


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## FriendsNotFood (Sep 21, 2010)

OOOH is this for the hate tank? I heart the hate tank. Honestly, my one lives in a 2.5 gallon with some phoenix rasboras and it's a palace for him, they're really not very active fish. But go ahead and get one just to be on the safe side. He WILL however eat the food from the bottom of the tank that the cories eat. It'll be funny to watch. Sparkling gouramis eat everything. Mine used to steal my shrimps' food back when I fed them the stuff people feed plecos.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

FriendsNotFood said:


> OOOH is this for the hate tank? I heart the hate tank. Honestly, my one lives in a 2.5 gallon with some phoenix rasboras and it's a palace for him, they're really not very active fish. But go ahead and get one just to be on the safe side. He WILL however eat the food from the bottom of the tank that the cories eat. It'll be funny to watch. Sparkling gouramis eat everything. Mine used to steal my shrimps' food back when I fed them the stuff people feed plecos.


Yes it is!!
I still hate bits of that tank.. honestly...
Thank you so much for all your help...


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

I'm reading lots of reports of people having them die off...
Any care directions and tips?


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## Steve N (Nov 19, 2011)

I would like opinions too. I'm thinking of adding a group of them to a 55. I like the way pygmy fish fit into large tanks, they kinda make it look even larger.


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## Deahttub (Apr 17, 2011)

I have 6 in my 125. They are extremely cool, but as others have said, i dont see hem often, which adds to their mystique. I dont see them eat much, but they arent skinny and when i see them they look happy...


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