chocolate gouramis

I bought two chocolate gouramis about a year ago. But because of the worng tank conditions they died within a week. Now before I buy anymore I want to know if it is possible to put them in with other tankmates. I have a 90 cm tank with 4 honey gouramis (1 male and 3 female) and 4 kuhli loaches. There are not a strong flow in the tank. The are also fake plants and some caves. The water ph is about 7. Is it oaky for chocolate gouramis to be with honey gouramis? If its oaky is the water ph oaky? Should it be more acidic? Or will the kuhlis and honeys suffer?
Thanks

 

think it would be best to have them in a species only tank because they beed such a low ph

 

Oaky. Maybe I`ll have a 90 cm tank available soon. If I put driftwood in could a pair of chocolates work then? There are also caves and rocks.
Thanks

 

you need to get the ph atleast down to 6

 

isnt cape town blessed with low ph water?

 

@Rooivlerkie It is usually advised to have them in a species only tank, but honey gouramis are very peaceful. So as long as you don't plan on breeding the chocolates, they should be fine together.

Also, your pH of 7.0 will be fine (as long as you don't plan on breeding). Water quality is very important, especially considering the fact that you can't run too strong a filter because of the flow. So I would recommend you keep a very diligent water change schedule. If possible a smaller WC (10-15%) more often (at least twice a week) will be best.

So I can't see why they won't work...I would love to have them my 6x honey gouramis and 14x cherry barbs, but my tank needs to mature a bit, and I can't seem to find any females around this area.

 

Thanks @Neels. But the thing is I WANT to breed them. I have read they are mouth brooders and I would really LOVE to see how they breed. Perhaps if I keep them with my honeys until they are big enough to breed? Also what if my honeys decided to breed? WIll they chase the chocolates around? I don`t want to lose the chocolates. THey are beuatiful...

 

I agree with Ryno. Chocolats and Honeys do need totally other waterconditions. Chocolats can get used to higher Ph, but normally they need a very low Ph. Normally fish that live in a acidic waterconditions will earlier get infected with some species of bacteria as well. Cardinals for instance. By the way : Why are fake plants often used in SA? Real ones can keep waterconditions (no3) better. In ph 6 few plants will grow very good though. Greetz Aad

 

choc gouramis have been found in water with an ph below 5 so no you cant at all keep them in such a high ph IMO. not easy fish to keep. lots of wood in the tank and peat or something in your filter. problem is keeping your ph stable

 

Thanks. I`ve decided to keep the chocolate gouramis alone (if I can find them) in a tank. I will also try to add LOTS of driftwood in the tank. They are beautiful and I don`t want them to die. First I`ll try and keep them alive before I try the breeding...
THanks for all the info.
Oh, yes. The tank don`t have any plants but it has much caves and things to hide in. Is it oaky to put them in there?

 

they dont like bright lights. so best actually is lots of wood. (they love blackwater conditions) and some floating plants would be the best it think.

 

Some pics from a dutch forum to get an impression (asked permission : thanks Roy)

 

Thanks @Ryno, @DoubleDutch and @Reedfish
I see my tank will need
*Gravel
*floating plants
*Driftwood
*A filter with a gentle flow
I will research the net for futher information. But thanks for all the advise

 

Three more to get the feeling. Greetz Aad

 

Thanks @DoubleDutch

 

Apart from black water, low flow, low light, lots of plants, they also like high temperatures (28 degrees) and very clean water (low nitrogenous wastes). A lot of plants will help with that too, maybe even grow some philodendron or something emersed with its roots in the water to use up all the nitrates? I want to try them as well, when I can find some. They are possibly the most challenging fish we can generally get, much more so than discus. They are very prone to ick especially in temperatures that are too low, and also to other diseases when water conditions are not exactly right. I feel that the hardest part will be getting fish that aren't already dying from transport or being in the shop. A guy in the UK had the most amazing planted tank with them, here's the thread: A Chocolate Puddle - | UK Aquatic Plant Society . Interestingly enough, the plants and substrate did all the pH lowering for him, in hard London tapwater! I think Cape Town water will be great for them. He's making an even bigger one now, but it's stalled for now with glass problems.

Man I want chocolate gouramis.

 

They indeed are beautifull. How can plants lower Ph ????

 

I think the plants just keep the water clean enough that he doesn't have to make enormous water changes all the time, giving the pH time to drop. Aquasoil apparently actively lowers pH.

 

Oh, and dead leaves actively lower pH too, but I'm not sure if that would actually be a factor.