Monday, May 24, 2010

How many types of Dwarf Gouramis are there?

I have a neon dwarf gourami and want to get a few more different colored dwarfs. Can someone list the diferent types for me?
Answers:
There is only one true Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia) , but it comes in as many color varieties as you care to name. Many also have different names in different areas. Add to the confusion with the fact that some varieties of Honey Gourami (Colisa chuna) and even some varieties of Thick lipped Gourami (Colisa labiosa) are passed off as color varieties of dwarf gourami simply because they are small and about the same shape. The first time I ever saw Chocolate gourami (Sphaerichthys osphromenoides) for sale they were marked Browm Dwarf Gourami.

Powder Blue, Red, Neon and Sunset are all typically Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia).

MM
The answer is one. Just one species with many different varities that can look very different. Hey that's kinda like people too
There is only one type, but it comes in about, 4 or 5 colors. Some of the colors are gold, or a soft blue. But there are very many different types of gouramis. A few are: Paradise Fish, Kissing Gourami, Gold Gourami, Croaking Gourami (my personal favorite =D).
The gouramis most commonly referred to as Dwarf Gouramis are all the same species, Colisa lalia. Through selective breading specific color variations of that species have been developed and sold under other common names.

Red Fire or Red Flame - the natural blue color has been bred out leaving a mostly all read fish

Neon Blue, Powder Blue or Blue Dwarf- the natural reds have been bred out leaving a mostly bright blue/turquoise fish

Dwarf Gourami or Rainbow Dwarf- their natural coloration. Blue and red are more balanced.

Honey Gouramis are sometimes sold as Dwarf or Honey Dwarf but these are a different species, Colisa Chuna.

The problem with these common names is you don't always know what you are getting and common names very from location to location. Red Dwarfs, Red Fire and Red Flame may all be the same color variant of one species... or it may not. There is no set list because with common names anyone can name it anything they want.

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