When reading most guides, they’ll tell you maze fish such as gouramis requires lots of water volume. Long, slow moving rivers filled with dense vegetation; who knew? Sounds like something impossible to achieve in a ten gallon tank.
That’s when there is gap between what you can do and what you want to do. Enter the space problem solved by Honey Gourami. Often forgotten, this species are uniquely suited for small tanks.
To appreciate its qualities, however, you have to move beyond generic fish keeping guidelines. Because yes, it fits in the box, but more importantly, it fits the personality of the fish in the box. Most people think maintaining water quality in a small tank is a lot of work.
Honey Gourami Care Tips For Nano Tank Success
Why Honey Gouramis Suit Small Tanks
That’s probably due to assumption that “small” equates to “less stable.” In truth, an efficiently designed and set up biological filtration system will make a well-planted, mature nano tank quite stable, moreso perhaps than a big tank with no plants. Unlike goldfish and other large cichlids, the Honey Gourami doesn’t generate a lot of waste. Its waste load isn’t huge and it won’t overwhelm any size hang-on-back filter with its ammonia and nitrite load.
Water Quality and Filtration Needs
No complex canister system are required to keep the water clean. Because this eats almost anything, its feeding behavior contribute significantly to its suitability for being kept in confined environments. Without any fussiness, it will readily accept high quality pellets, flakes, and frozen foods.
Its adaptability also make it less prone to over-feeding problems common among new keepers. When your concern isn’t whether the fish will reject its food or make a mess of it on the substrate, life is easier for both you and the fish. What you give it, it eats; the remainder is left alone.
Peaceful Temperament and Behavior
In a small ecosystem, that kind of simplicity is precious. The true test, however, lies in behavior. Any tank resident need to behave well if they’re going to live in a nano tank.
After all, many small fish is territorial; they nip fins. Some species is just aggressive. While I wouldn’t consider them to be aggressive, the Honey Gourami are generally quite placid and slow moving.
They don’t have that explosive energy of tetra species, nor do they exhibit aggressive behavior like some rasbora species. Since they’re so placid, they rarely stresses out tank mates. Because of this, you can use it as your tank mate even for shy species who may hide most of the time.
Rather than chasing things down, the fish is content to just hover and drift about. Its peaceful nature will allow you to stock with confidence. To keep it all peaceful, one must select tankmates carefuly.
Selecting Compatible Tank Mates
Twitchy little rasboras and small barbs may frustrate the Gourami because it cannot always catch them. Robust but not aggressive livebearers like Endlers does nicely. Snails make great additions as well.
They help clean up any leftover food but don’t compete for space. The trick here is no loud neighbors that will either bully the Gourami or damage its delicate fins. A peaceful community support the Gourami’s calm nature.
Planting and Habitat Design
In a small tank, planting strategy matter more then it does in a big tank. The key is to have densely planted tanks so that the plants provides cover and thus reduce stress. For instance, Anubias and java fern can be good options since they don’t need soil and can attach onto hardscape.
They provide cover and create hiding places that make the fish feel comfortabley. Surface cover such as floating plants (e.g., frogbit) helps diffuse the light. Remember that one of the requirements of the Gourami is that it has access to the surface to take in oxygen from the atmosphere via the labyrinth organ.
Make sure you leave enough open space at the top for this important behavior. The key lies in understanding the fish’s limitations. There is no reason why you cannot make a Honey Gourami happy in your home.
All it takes is a clean tank, some plants, and a calm environment. In return, the fish will reward you by being curious and colorful. This shows that big doesn’t necessarily mean complicated.
A well designed nano tank can be every bit as rewarding as a large display tank. This proves that small can be beautiful. A good example is the Honey Gourami.
