Blue gouramis are one of the most popular fish for both freshwater and saltwater aquariums. They are a beautiful blue color with three black stripes down their body. Some people believe that they are a peaceful fish, while others think that they can be nippy. So, what is the truth about their temperament? Let’s take a closer look at it. this question.
HABITAT AND SIZE
Blue gouramis are found in the Southeast Asian countries of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. They live in rivers, ponds, swamps, and flooded forests where there is plenty of vegetation to provide cover. As they prefer to spend their time among the plants while hunting for food, a 55-gallon or larger aquarium is best to recreate their natural environment. These fish do not grow very large, reaching about 8 inches in length as adults.
COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER FISH
Blue gouramis are peaceful and should be kept with other peaceful fish that will not nip the fins of the blue gourami. These fish can live with other gouramis like banded and blue gouramis, but they should not be kept with goldfish or koi. Other peaceful fish include guppies, mollies, swordtails, tetras, Corydoras catfish (Cory cat), rainbow fish, and small to medium-sized non-aggressive community fish.
SIGNS OF AGGRESSION
These fish can appear to be very peaceful, but they will sometimes nip the fins of other fish and try to spawn with other bottom dwellers such as kuhli loaches or Cory catfish. Sometimes this aggression is because these fish are not well cared for and they will nip at food or other fish in an attempt to find something they can eat.
DIET
Blue gouramis are omnivores that do best with a varied diet of both plant-based foods and protein sources. They should be fed flakes, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, bloodworms, brine shrimp, and vegetables like spinach and zucchini. The blue gourami does not tend to eat flake foods and pellets very much and this should be considered when deciding on what kind of food to feed them.
TANK MAINTENANCE
Blue gouramis are fairly sensitive fish that will need clean water at all times. They prefer water with a lot of plant life, which will need to be cleaned regularly. Any tank décor should also not have sharp edges as these fish are prone to getting their fins nipped.
Have you ever kept blue gouramis? Did you find them peaceful or were they nippy? Let us know in the comments section below!
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