Gourami going for the new Baloon Molly BIGTIME

[tintin]

I've had a tank established for a few months now and the biggest fish in there is a Golden Gourami.

Today I bought home a small Baloon Molly which the Gourami appears to have taken a distinct dislike to, chasing it and trying to nip it. I thought these guys were supposed to get along?

Can anyone offer any advice as I've not had to deal with fish agression before! Bear in mind I just have the 1 tank so there's nowhere else to put either fish.

TT

 

[David]

I've had a tank established for a few months now and the biggest fish in there is a Golden Gourami.

Today I bought home a small Baloon Molly which the Gourami appears to have taken a distinct dislike to, chasing it and trying to nip it. I thought these guys were supposed to get along?

Can anyone offer any advice as I've not had to deal with fish agression before! Bear in mind I just have the 1 tank so there's nowhere else to put either fish.

TT

I think this may be a territorial issue. That gourami sounds too big for a 60 litre tank, and it was already cramped enough without the molly in there if you ask me. The only type of gourami I'd keep in a tank that small is a dwarf gourami.

 

[tintin]

I think youre probably right although I don't understand why it has gone for the Molly so much and yet has left all the other fish alone. It sometimes chases the others during feeds but never like today. It was really quite vicious.

I put a Peppered Cory in as well today and its taken no notice of that at all.

I've had no option but to put the molly back in its bag to try and save it from certain death. Hopefully the shop will take it back tomorrow.

TT.

 

[David]

This is probably because mollies, unlike cories, occupy the middle and upper levels of the tank, which the gourami considers it's territory. Also the balloon molly, because of it's hindered swimming ability, probably made an easy target for the gourami to pick on.