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I was just wondering what I would need to know to keep these guys? Is a pair okay? Would they be okay with tetras and loaches? Are they peaceful? How big? What food? etc. etc. etc. Basically anything and everything. I'm thinking about possibly using them as a signature fish in my 55 gallon.
TIA for all the help
Jen

Pearl Gourami are very beautiful fish, with super colours & they are Peaceful. The males might fight, but nothing serious will happen.

They will eat Flakes, but also try some other types of food like Granules & live or frozen food.

They would be fine with Loaches & Tetra, but don't add any fin nipping Tetra with them.

They get about 10cm in size & the mature males have a red throat.
They live about 6/7 years.



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jenbabe256

I have not had any "Pears" for some time now. They were easy to keep, they eat nearly all foods. I always had floating plant (I think it was called water sprite) and they would nibble then all the time, this never worried me as it was there for a cover and food.

Keith

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Thanks guys! Do you think this would be a good center piece fish for a 55?
Jen

I think if you like the fish a lot, they'd make a great centerpiece. I've seen them get to a decent size, at least 5", and they are very peaceful. And as mentioned before, some will develop a very nice patch of orange on their underside as they mature. Pearl leeri's are very pretty.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

I picked up two pearls yesterday for $2.99! They are so pretty, but I think they get a little lost in my tank since they are barely two inches right now. They are pretty shy and follow eachother all over the tank.
Just wanted to say
Thanks for all the advice on these great fish!
Jen

it wont be long before they grow! Ivve got a pair and they are beauties!

hca
Did yours grow pretty fast or were they slow-growers?
I think mine are getting used to the tank now. They've been playing in the front for the past 30 minutes or so.
Jen

FYI, I've found that pearls are peaceful, and very shy at first. But as they get more comfortable, they can get territorial.

I bought three nearly mature juveniles -- what I thought were two females and one male. But as they matured, one of the "females" turned out to be male. The older male claimed the whole tank for his territory, so now the younger male spends all day every day hiding in the corner.

When he comes out to eat, the dominant male often chases him back to the corner -- never actually hurts him, so I don't think you need to fear bloodshed. But the dominant male is pretty aggressive and I can't imagine the younger male is very happy living in that corner, so I'm in the process of setting up another tank to separate them.

The dominant male can occasionally get cranky toward the female, but basically lets her live out in the open with him.

Mine are the centerpiece fish a 30 gallon with a half dozen platies and a bunch of plants (a combo that looks sensational, by the way) but I'm going to put the pair in a 55 and leave the lone male in the 30 -- maybe if I'd put them in the larger tank to begin with, I'd have had better luck!