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Duckweed Predator

>Giant gouramies don't become giants in a small terrarium (fed with duckweed)
>I don't think it's an extremely unattractive fish. In fact, some variants
>are smaller and very colorful. 

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder so if you think it's attractive,
good for you.  I have certainly not seen any colorful variants, nor do I
see why anyone would put the time and effort into developing them.  If you
are talking about the small species sometimes sold under the misplaced
common name of "Giant Gourami", these are actually Colisa species, some of
the smaller gourami species.  Yes, they are beautiful, but they don't, in
my experience eat much plant material. (though they will use it for nesting)

But if it is STAYING small, it is because of the poor care it is receiving.
 It is possible to stunt the growth of many creatures with ill care.  That
doesn't make it right.  

>If you want to keep it forvere, you can. If you want to eat it, it's
delicious.

I already pointed out that killing it was one option.  I have no problem
eating cows or fish, though I would prefer not to eat one with whom I was
personally acquainted.  But considering how many calls public aquariums get
from people who want to pawn off pacu and shovelnosed cats (both of which I
can tell you from personal experience are quite tasty) I can tell you that
too many people purchase fish that grow too big, then hope they will find
someone else who will ease their conscience by taking the creature off
their hands.

True giant gouramis (Osphronemus gorami) are not obligate herbivores
either.  While peaceful as adults, they can be quite scrappy as juveniles.
They _will_ also eat any fish small enough to fit in their rather large
mouths.  

All the way around, if this is the method you choose to control duckweed,
good for you.  But I certainly can't let it stand on the list without
rebuttal as a "good idea" for others.

BTW, since you seem to favore this approach, how do you handle your own
over-grown gouramis?  Do you have a 250 gallon tank for them, or do you
prefer to eat them?  Or do you just stunt their growth with poor conditions?

Karen