Moonlight Gourami Information: Facts vs Fiction

[SilverArowanaBoi]

Since I got my Moonlight Gourami, I've wondered what size it can get and its growth rate. I'm getting mixed information online and wondered if I could get more "definite" answers here.

And one other thing: Could I add more gouramis of similar size? Could I add, say, Pearl Gouramis or more Moonlights with it, or should I just leave it as is and add a completely different fish? I don't want aggression issues, but I love the look of the larger gouramis, and I think a small school of them would be a wonderful touch. Thank you!

 

[fishhead0103666]

About 5” max.

 

[Milingu]

I once had a little over 5 inch tl moonlight male, which was quite a large specimen.
He bullied my other guramis until I got a 6" Trichopodus trichopterus male which became the ultimate bully. He didn't kill anyone but forced all other fish into permanent hiding. That showed me that I had totally underestimated the potential aggression of some gurami species. They can be somehow like cichlids.

Pearl guramis don't stand a chance against the moonlights.

Besides the pearl guramis I would keep all the bigger species only with one male + some females. A 180 +gallon tank is needed for more than one male for long term success.

 

[Fishman Dave]

If I was going by my old learnings,
moonlight, pearl and three spot all reach 6” max.
Three spot are the most agressive
Then moonlight
Then pearl
But like all fish you get exceptions

You would probably get two males and a group of female pearls together, might get two male moonlights together, much less chance in doing so with three spot, although to get two males of any of the last two together you really will need a planted 6ft to create a number of territories.

If you still have the discuss, the dwarf acaras the geophagus and the dwarf gourami along with the catfish, you may find it getting a bit busy for a school of them.
Worth pointing out that they don’t really school as such anyway, just tend to hang in groups when nervous but when settled they do their own thing.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

If I was going by my old learnings,
moonlight, pearl and three spot all reach 6” max.
Three spot are the most agressive
Then moonlight
Then pearl
But like all fish you get exceptions

You would probably get two males and a group of female pearls together, might get two male moonlights together, much less chance in doing so with three spot, although to get two males of any of the last two together you really will need a planted 6ft to create a number of territories.

If you still have the discuss, the dwarf acaras the geophagus and the dwarf gourami along with the catfish, you may find it getting a bit busy for a school of them.
Worth pointing out that they don’t really school as such anyway, just tend to hang in groups when nervous but when settled they do their own thing.

The dwarf gourami passed, unfortunately. But thank you for the solid info, along with everyone else.

 

[Morti]

With these gourami it is the tank that is most important. You may have problems in a massive tank if it's really open but not have many issues in a much smaller but "gourami scaped" tank. To do well they need a lot of cover where they can avoid each other if they wish to. I've not done it with moonlight gourami but pearls do well in groups if the females can stay clear of the males if they wish to and the males have enough room to coexist. You also need a decent sized group, a trio won't really cut it.