Bullied sparkling female

so ive got a trio of sparkling gourami in my 20 gal long, but the breeding pair is beating the poop out of the other female. Ive been watching them, but it has been escalating to the point that she's constantly hiding and always has torn up fins.

So i need to move her asap.


My options:

46 gallon--problem is houses a pair of dwarf gourami who would be a potential problem for her.

55 gallon--problem is stronger current that sparkling gourami cant handle, and has larger fish who swim faster and will easily out compete her for food.

An empty 3 gallon. Would a little 3 gallon be okay for her alone with lots of plants and usual tank care?
I mean, many consider 2.5-3 gallons to be the minimum for a single betta, and a sparkling gourami is half the size of a betta... both air breathers and like no current.... but also tend to be a bit more active....


Difference is, sparkling gourami are supposed to be social but this girl is not meshing well, spending most of her time hiding for her life.

or, another option that may not work out... add a 3rd female to spread out the aggression?
Its the other female who is the one beating up the other female.

Keep the bullied female in the 3 gallon. I'm not sure how things go if your current sparklers are breeding while you add more.

No joke this is how the tank territory is divided between the 3 of them.

Normally the male shares dominant females space too, but hes been making nests for the last 2 months and that crypt leaf is the favourite spot to spawn, so he defends it if there's babies in it even from the dominant female, but neither of them let the bullied female anywhere past the sponge filter.

NCaquatics said:

or, another option that may not work out... add a 3rd female to spread out the aggression?
Its the other female who is the one beating up the other female.

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I'd move her....one of my Oscar's was killed today by the other paired two...it sucked

They...they killed a OSCAR?

Also, for the record, its only the dominant female breeding with the male. The male will not pair with the other girl.

I saw a youtube video with a sparkling female in a heavily planted 5 gal. I think she'll be ok in the 3 gal.

HoldenOn said:

They...they killed a OSCAR?

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I think he means his paired Oscar's killed the third Oscar.

But if he's got sparkling gourami and THEY killed the Oscar, I'd be honestly terrified of his fish.

NCaquatics said:

I think he means his paired Oscar's killed the third Oscar.

But if he's got sparkling gourami and THEY killed the Oscar, I'd be honestly terrified of his fish.

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I know I was like hold on you had SPARKLING GOURAMI an they KILLED a OSCAR WHAT

JBAwrench said:

I'd move her....one of my Oscar's was killed today by the other paired two...it sucked

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Sorry for your loss, they are a beautiful fish

@NCaquatics how many sparkly gourami would be good in my 29 with 9 peppered corydora?

HoldenOn said:

@NCaquatics how many sparkly gourami would be good in my 29 with 9 peppered corydora?

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I have mine in a 20 long that has the same footprint as a 29... after my experience I'd say cautiously 3 and have a spare tank if my situation happens to you

I moved my girl, she's all set up.

I gotta get a background slapped on the back of the tank, but here is her new home. At least until we move and then I can move her to a bigger tank.


Shes a bit battered up

NCaquatics said:

I moved my girl, she's all set up.

I gotta get a background slapped on the back of the tank, but here is her new home. At least until we move and then I can move her to a bigger tank.
View attachment 114456

Shes a bit battered up
View attachment 114457
View attachment 114458

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Pretty!