# Thought I share - Balloon Molly x Pearl Gourami



## eternity302

Yup, just thought I share!
No one seem to believe me and everyone thinks i'm crazy everytime I mention about my wifey's favourite fish!
We pretty much got back into fish just because of him!

Here's a balloon molly x pearl gourami! At least that's what I think!
Shaped of a balloon molly but with all pearl gourami markings!

Super healthy, strong and a good eater! But not aggressive at all, which is a great thing! =)


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## jobber

That is a beauty of a fish! Thanks for sharing. Wonder if "it" would be able to breed.


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## eternity302

No Clue, I wish I knew, and thank you!
I had two, one died, the pet shop starved it WAY too long before I could take it home and save it... by the time I got him home... he was next to dead... could hardly swim, and refused to eat! At least he died in a tropical garden and buried in a flower bed...~ Sigh... though I wish I could save him!

But believe it or not, there's another wierd cross
Balloon Molly x Sword Tail
Someone bought it before i did =(


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## jobber

Wow! Which LFS you find these types of hybrids? 
I have to admit that crosses/hyrids fish come out more beautiful. But I'm sure their immune systems arn't as good. 

Lucky to have said you've had them in your tank. I'm quite envious.


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## eternity302

You wouldn't believe it!
Richmond Center Pet Habitat!
They haven't had one for 2 years now~ I've always been waiting...

They are actually very very hardy! They have survived over heat... have been the very few fish that didn't get ich and fin rot when I had an outbreak in the tank. He even survived my jello co2 that pumped into my tank and wiped out 1/3 of the population! And the great thing about it is that they got those gourami whiskers, they use it as an arm to wack others to get to the food during feeding! LOL!
They were quite a price to pay though... 
And dun be envious, it kind of drive you nuts to come home everyday just to ensure he's still alive! And when ur feeding, you can get a headache trying to drop it above his head to ensure he gets a good share!

LOL! This is how much we love him!


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## jobber

I seriously don't believe richmond pet habitat would have such things but then again, they do do a good job with their tanks and keeping their fish super healthy.

You're not alone with ich attacks and the coming home to check for casualties. Boy, sound like a freak aquarist.

Nonetheless, hope your tank recovered fully from your jello episode. I read in another forum, and told myself just to keep my setup simple for the time being. 

I just finally won my battle with ich. Lost my cories but still have my rasboras. 

Sorry this reply got a bit off topic. 

Cheers!


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## eternity302

Nah, that's fine! BUT WOW, you're going through that eh? I had a bad battle from the aftermath of the jello CO2, it stressed out all the fish that i had constant disease for weeks until now!

Anyways, you'll be pretty suprised what I've picked up for the last two years at Pet Habitat! Let me name the wierd ones, and ofcourse, most of these wierd things I didn't pick up!

Leopard Perch (I think that's what they're called)
Panda Garra
Hillstream Loach
Giant Gourami (I know, they're idiots on this one)
Albino ID Sharks
Royal Pleco
Balloon Molly x Pearl Gourami
Balloon Molly x Sword Tail
Archer Fish
Denisoni Barbs
Threadfin Rainbowfish
Balloon Golden Ram (Have one)
Balloon German Blue Ram (Have one)
Steel blue apistogramma (YES, i have 3, all steel blue head to tail)

=) That's bout all I can remember for now! They have the wierdest things sometimes!
And the most recent odd thing is... last week I went in... $29.88 for an Irian red rainbowfish that's 2"? LOL! =) Not flaming on them, as I shop there alot, but that's funni~


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## jobber

Well, I wish I had a big tank like yours. I only have a nano 5g. Been having a lot of success until I go on vacation/business trips. I had my tank self sufficient for weeks on end. 

Right now, just resisting on overstocking my tank. 

I was soooo choked with my first ich outbreak two months ago. Depleted my bio-stock. Started putting medication and my glosso started going yellow. Its finally back to normal when I switch to using paraguard.


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## eternity302

You're only settled with a 5 gallon nano? WOW, i could not control myself on just one 5 gallon!
=) Maybe I should post up my main tank to tempt you! LOL!


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## jobber

Don't do it! I'm actually content with what I have at the moment.

I just don't have the room to have a big tank at the moment. I'm planning for a 33gallon long with co2 setup and the whole sha-bang in a few years.

I've just got into planted tanks two months ago and having some success with it. Took some small clippings from others and have ended up growing them into bunches.

Just seeing if I can locate some pygmy cories to add to my tank. Not going to take any chances with bigger sized fish.


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## eternity302

Yes... overstocked? I know! 
The new tank on the right is cycled already, that's just a picture few days ago! Once my arm gets better so i can stick my arm in there to prune, I will be planting the whole new tank with new plants!

But that's all for now  Hope i tempted you, ahhaa~


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## jobber

Nice setup you got there. Haha. I'll be able to resist.


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## eternity302

LoL!
Darn
I thought i could getcha to expand LOL
Well, i couldn't fit an 8 ft tank into the house, especially not through the stairways! So I ended up with 2 x 4ft =) Can't complain! Just now two times the work.. i so wish it wuz just one, easier maintenance!


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## xFl

Nice, I've seen those actually at Coquitlam Pet Habitat too actually. I was so weirded out the first time I saw them!


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## plantedinvertz

xFl said:


> Nice, I've seen those actually at Coquitlam Pet Habitat too actually. I was so weirded out the first time I saw them!


Yea I have seen them in the ccoquitlam one too. I believe they had another fish that was also balloon molly shaped.


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## eternity302

O.O Anyone know if they got any at the moment?


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## Nanokid

hmm interesting fish you got there! i highly doubt a molly and a gourami could hybridize- being that mollys give birth to baby fry. i assume - he is either a deformed gourami or that the "balloon" shape is bred in, like it is in many fish. honestly i hate the balloon look... i dont understand why there soo popular!

but its in the eye of the beholder!


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## eternity302

Nanokid said:


> hmm interesting fish you got there! i highly doubt a molly and a gourami could hybridize- being that mollys give birth to baby fry. i assume - he is either a deformed gourami or that the "balloon" shape is bred in, like it is in many fish. honestly i hate the balloon look... i dont understand why there soo popular!
> 
> but its in the eye of the beholder!


It's definitely not deformed, as you can order a ton from singapore bred like this! But if what you say is correct, I have no clue.. LOL, i guess your answer could be right!

And i definitely do agree, they look wierd.. but they definitely grew on me! Now I have tons of different wierd balloon shaped fish! LOL! But then again.. i remember how much I use to hate the balloon look!


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## plantedinvertz

I saw some balloon kissing gouramis before at Petland


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## hooyair

Hi, I googled my strange new baby and found your site.

I have some actively breeding mollies, balloon mollies, and one honey gourami mixed with swordtails and plecos. 

One of the off spring is a honey gourami x yellow balloon molly. Bright yellow upper and tail fins, brown upper and rear body, and vertical tiger stripes. The belly is silver.

Another is a female sword x sunburst molly. Three orange lateral lines, orange body, yellow belly, and HUGE, 3" at 90 days.

Most surprising is the other tank has a 4" platinum lyre tail molly and mixed rainbows. You guessed it, 100 fry, 40% males. Only 10 left after predation, 4 males with color. waiting to see how they color up completely, so far they have blue bodies, spotted upper fins, and a hint of green.


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## Ursus sapien

mollies can't breed with gouamis, just not physically possible. Even if they weren't in widely separated families, one's a livebearer, and the other an egg layer.

Yours is just one of many species sadly deformed into a balloon type, bred with inheritable scoliosis.


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## JohnnyAppleSnail

WOW! I thought I've seen everything till this...kind of freakish,all Head like it's missing half it's body! Glad to hear You are giving it special care.


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## April

That's a balloon pearl gourami.i had some at my shop . They balloon many fish now. Including balloon oscars, guppies, swords, rams, etc etc. 

























---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.275009,-122.835526


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## CRS Fan

I think "Balloon" people will be the next BIG thing..... JK. I think most balloon varieties are just ugly.....

Best Regards,

Stuart


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## zhasan

I second Stuart!


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## Rastapus

Correct, balloon Gourami. Not a cross.


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## Morainy

Most ballooned fish look like they are in pain to me, with scoliosis (as Storm said) and displaced organs. But are all the balloon fish genetically deformed? The cobalt blue rams looked fairly ram-like, not hunch-backed, to me -- but of course I'm not an expert.


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## CRS Fan

OK.

Here are some balloon people that are different....










Best regards,

Stuart


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## Rastapus

Ironically Balloon type fish are extremely hardy, realistically these fish are no different ethically then exotic goldfish, all have been altered through select breeding to create what we have today.


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## Ursus sapien

Morainy said:


> Most ballooned fish look like they are in pain to me, with scoliosis (as Storm said) and displaced organs. But are all the balloon fish genetically deformed? The cobalt blue rams looked fairly ram-like, not hunch-backed, to me -- but of course I'm not an expert.


I don't know if all fish with 'balloon' in their name are balloon form (I've lost track of how many species have been "ballooned"), but those that are get their look, in part, from their selectively bred, deformed spine - scoliosis. There are degrees of severity. If you've got some time, do a net search for "do fish feel pain" as a starting point. But, yes, it hurts. That applies to some forms of goldfish, too. (please don't run me over in the parking lot) The curved spine is painful, but additional complications stem from the corresponding rearrangement of the internal organs. You can see from the photo how the curvature compacts the space available to the internal organs.

The Heterandria in this photo is a severe case. Can be caused by bacteria (present in dirty water with high organic waste), genetics, nutrition and/or parasites.


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## cdsgo1974

That's what addiction to CO2 does to a person  Kidding Stuart.



CRS Fan said:


> OK.
> 
> Here are some balloon people that are different....
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> Best regards,
> 
> Stuart


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## sunshine_1965

I think I seen a fish like this at Roberto's Pet Habitat in Coquitlam. I could be wrong it has been about a week or so since I was there. Definitely a cool looking fish.


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## Rastapus

CRS Fan said:


> OK.
> 
> Here are some balloon people that are different....
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> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Stuart


I wonder if these would breed successfully............


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## Rastapus

Balloon type fish can be controversial, personally I feel based on their hardiness they are an acceptable addition to the trade. I was fence sitting on this for a while when I decided to not carry dyed fish but these fish are so strong. Keep in mid as well that LFS is a business like any other and committed to providing their customers with what they are after. By my decision to not carry dyed fish we are incurring a loss of sales by not having these fish which from a business perspective is not genius but from an ethical standpoint I feel is top shelf.


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