Giant Gourami (Osphrenemus gouramy)

[Demonfish]

Has anyone ever kept these guys? I am in the process of setting up a 225 gallon tank that will hold a flowerhorn and a jag, and I am planning on getting 2-6 more fish (Central and South American cichlids) and maybe 2 cats for the tank. I was thinking about adding 2 giant gourami's to the mix. I know they get BIG and have seen a few full grown. Are they aggressive? Could they be housed with other large aggressive fish? Best left by themselves? Paired? I've kept gourami's before, but never the giant species. What can you tell me?

 

[Rex Karr]

Do you seriously think that your tank can house a pair of 24" fish?

 

[Pangong_ilong]

Mine's agrressive towrds other cichlids. The only cichlid it doesn't bother is my temensis.

 

[sauroid]

my 18" giant gourami bullies even large aggressive cichlids. it is now housed with a 22" clownknifefish and so far that's the only fish it hasn't harrassed and wouldn't harrass.

 

[reddragon343]

these guys get monstrous....and depending on individuals, they can range from peaceful....to raging crazy....will eat almost anything u throw at them....amd if anything else...they'll take plant matter

 

[Steve_89]

They can be very agressive. I would deffinaltley not keep 2 together.

 

[fishnthings]

Rayman does it and has no problems

 

[Timpon]

I've kept about 8 all up. All were pretty peaceful with other fishes.

Tried to keep 3 together in a 240 gallon up till recently. The two grey fought all the time, but the red tail was left alone. All ate heavily and grew fast. When I sold them they were almost 20 inches.

The pink version seems to be the most aggressive out of the three.

 

[starrfish71]

ditto- I have never kept one bigger than about 8 inches, but even at that size it had to be kept alone. Very aggressive- but fun fish

 

[Im4u2nV]

mine was probably 22" and now live solitary in a tank...never tried to put any tankmates though but he'll surely try to attack me whenever i get the tank to give him pellets...

i can only imagine what will that huge mouth do to tankmates if there were any...

lol..hugh mouth and thick lips...kind of ugly lookin but cute...*go figure