# Will sparkling gourami and chocolate gourami fight with each other?



## MJQMJQ (6 Dec 2019)

Im tempted to get them due to their nice colours but since theyre gouramis,Im afraid they would fight.Was wondering if anyone has kept them together or no.I still remember as a kid I kept 3 dwarf gouramis(unfortunately all male because the shop only sold colourful males) and they ending up fighting and dying despite hiding places.In the shop tank they were so docile but once they got in they started fighting.I guess in the aquarium theres landmarks for them to mark territory and fight over it.Would so not like this to repeat again.


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (8 Dec 2019)

I've no direct experience with chocolate gourami, though I do with honey and sparkling gourami. Honey gourami internal bickering has always led to issues for me with subordinate fish always passing leaving one dominant fish. Sparkling gourami are different though, they are a far more peaceful fish, and I had no such problems. I am led to believe that the differing body shape between the species means they would be less likely to fight. I'm no expert though get others views on this too!!


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## alto (8 Dec 2019)

Tank details?

Chocolate gourami info - young juveniles or sub-adult or adult?
How do they look in the shop? - any signs of clamped fins? good activity and food response? etc


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## MJQMJQ (8 Dec 2019)

Tank is 32 litre.Currently five otos five green tetra plus a few shrimps that survived the micrococci purge.The shop is a reputable one theyre healthy have not lost any of the fish i bought which includes the otos and tetras.I didnt buy any gouramis yet just thinking.


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## alto (9 Dec 2019)

I would consider that tank too small for chocolate gouramis - even without the sparkling gourami mix

As they are a slow eating species, they don’t do well with most tetras (the tetras get fat and the choco’s are still thin), choose tankmates with care 
If chocolate gouramis appear timid or retiring, they are unhappy or ill 

Seriously Fish suggests a minimum of 6 for a group and tank dimensions at least 60 x 30cm

I’d go much further and suggest that for longterm success, begin with 15-20 and at least 90-100 x 45cm tank
And then hope you have a suitable mix of males and females, depending on locale (population origin) they can be minimally to strongly aggressive once mature and breeding 
And expect some losses from that original group - they seem very susceptible to external parasites (but respond well to formalin treatment) and internal bacterial infections (I’ve no idea how to successfully combat this, though I’ve managed to support infected fish for several months ... perhaps it is an iridovirus and any bacterial infection is secondary)


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## MJQMJQ (9 Dec 2019)

alto said:


> I would consider that tank too small for chocolate gouramis - even without the sparkling gourami mix
> 
> As they are a slow eating species, they don’t do well with most tetras (the tetras get fat and the choco’s are still thin), choose tankmates with care
> If chocolate gouramis appear timid or retiring, they are unhappy or ill
> ...


Ah thanks then perhaps will get sparkling gourami.Its the biggest tank atm I can have.


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