# Chocolate Gourami



## Pigheaddd (Feb 27, 2004)

does anybody have experience with Chocolate Gourami?


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

No, but I'm dying to house them. I just don't want to have to setup a species tank since they are vicious when together. Usually the alpha male, trys killing off the competition..that's why you need to have lots of plant cover. I have been told they won't last long in a community tank, but I see that Ghori houses them in his community tank, and I remember Steve Hampton saying that he has a pair for over a year that are doing great. Though I know for sure they require frozen/live food, clean water, low nitrates, lots of plant cover, and a slightly higher temp. I might try a trio in my 65g; but I'm still wary of doing that...For some reason, I always try to house fish that are from the same area, maybe I'll let this one slip. Feel free to ask if you need to know more!


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

I've been keeping four chocolate gouramis in my 20 gallon for about a week now. They seem to be adapting quickly, as they are starting to actively compete with the more voracious/active tetras for food. They also tend to spend most of their time foraging in a small group along the substrate and plants. 

My temperature is 78-80F. I feed them freshly hatched brine shrimp, OSI flakes, Cyclops-eeze, and ON's Brine Shrimp Plus. I'll keep everyone posted on how they're doing --they are truly marvelous little fish. I love them already! 

Carlos


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

Carlos, I'm hesitant to get some in my tank along with the Apistos...I don't want to see these cute fish get torn apart :roll:


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

I wouldn't put them in with apistos. My chocolate gouramis are the top fish in the tank I currently have them --all they have to do is compete against cherry red shrimp, various small tetras, and pencilfish.  

Corydoras, blue eye rainbowfish, threadfin rainbowfish, rasboras should work well, too. Being conservative here.

I know a hobbyist who keeps chocolate gouramis with blue rams, but his aquarium is fairly large --75g or so.

Carlos


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## Pigheaddd (Feb 27, 2004)

how to know their sex? anybody knows? my LFS got a tank of them. when i looked closer, i saw some of them have Ick. it was one week ago. hope they are all doing well. i may try again later! i had one only a week before. it jumped out of my nano tank.  

Carlos,

what kind of pencilfish do you have?

Tim


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

The male has a yellow border that extends along the edge of the male's anal and caudal fins. You shouldn't house them in nano-tank, way too small..and unstable conditions. The minimum you should use is a 15g. It's probably best to house them in a species tank, although you will encounter male causaulties, so get between 5-8 in a 15g.


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

I have a trio of _Nannobrycon eques_ (tube mouthed pencilfish) and four Beckford's Pencilfish (_Nannostomus beckfordi_). Nothing too special. 

Carlos


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## Pigheaddd (Feb 27, 2004)

Raul-7 said:


> The male has a yellow border that extends along the edge of the male's anal and caudal fins. You shouldn't house them in nano-tank, way too small..and unstable conditions. The minimum you should use is a 15g. It's probably best to house them in a species tank, although you will encounter male causaulties, so get between 5-8 in a 15g.


thanks for reply... i will get them later. :lol:


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## Pigheaddd (Feb 27, 2004)

tsunami said:


> I have a trio of _Nannobrycon eques_ (tube mouthed pencilfish) and four Beckford's Pencilfish (_Nannostomus beckfordi_). Nothing too special.
> 
> Carlos


can you tell sex? i have 6 species of Nannostomus sp. only one species i can 100% sure that i have two pairs, others i couldnt tell their sexes! i like the way how N. eques and N. unifasciatus swim.


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

I don't know if it work, but would it be ok to house Chocolate Gourami and Licorice Gourami together since they pretty much need the same requirements?


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## GRGeorge (Mar 24, 2004)

I have chocolate gouramis in a community tank and they don't bother or get bothered by other fishes.
They only try to solve their problems by themselves :lol: :lol: 
I suppose you can procced with your plan Raul-7, but according to sources they should be in species tank.


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Recently i translated to english an article about my chocolates breeding experience.

Read it

In this link you can see some pic of my experience.

Greetings from Spain


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## Pigheaddd (Feb 27, 2004)

hello welcome to APC. those babies are soooo cute. you did a great job. two thumbs UP... =D> 

Tim


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## mm12463 (Mar 5, 2004)

I went to a LFS today since I had not been there for a while. They moved and had a new place but always had great fish and the owner is very knowledgeable. Saw some Chocolates today for the first time and all I have to say is they are cool! Not to mention he had 4 different shrimp species and licorice gouramis. Very cool. Too bad I have no room. =(


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## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

> The male has a yellow border that extends along the edge of the male's anal and caudal fins.


So does the female.  IMO, sexing is nearly impossible with osphro's until you can get them to spawn, which is quite difficult (I nearly killed myself and quit the entire hobby trying to do so). However, over in Europe they seem to just wave a magic wand over the tank and the fish are holding the next morning. Speaking of...

Hey Xema...how's it going?

California blackworms are a great food source if you have them available (much easier than brine shrimp). I usually kept my osphro's in a species tank, but tankmates that did well with them (and often shares the same habitat in the wild) were Harlequin rasboras and Emerald-eye rasboras. I would suggest only keeping smaller, mellow dither fish with them. I would stay away from similar conspecific-type fish such as bettas and other small gouramies.


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