Nasty gourimi! HELP!

[aibo210]

Hi

Just got 2, 3 spot gourimi from my LFS put them is my tank and the bigger one of the two keeps chasing the other about my tank and biting at him. Hes in a poor state his fins are ragged. What shall I do? Its strange because they were both fine when I brought them and they came out of the same tank. now the others just hiding scared to death of the other. HELP!!!

Carl

 

[MAM]

what size tank do you have?

 

[aibo210]

Just a 60L (13G) for now moving up to bigger one soon!

 

[Pearlie]

I have the same problem with my Pearls. Absolutely wonderful in their tank at the lfs (I had first seen them two weeks before I bought them), great for the first few weeks after I bought them, and now, each week it seems something new develops in the dominant female's aggression towards the other female.

To help out the gourami guru's (definitely not me!), do you know the genders of the two gouramis? If they're two males, you'll need to take one back. If not...well, I need to see what the guru's say, because I too am about to go crazy.

 

[littleme1969]

Well I'm no Guru..lol
But have found out the hard way.. They are one of the teratorial of fishes.. and not matter what you get they will scrap to varying degrees depending one wether male/female or same sex combination. If there is no fin danage being done and its just a case of... a good chase round to show whos boss!!.. then leave it alone if you can bare to see it happening. Just add lots of plants and places for the other fish to hide.
But if your having major beat up sessions with ragged fins and a fish terrified for its life...one will have to go.. or you'll soon have a dead body on your hands
If you can't seperate them at home..then take one back a.s.a.p. Or find it a suitable home.. like yesterday
The one remaining will soon come out of its shell and start being top fish in the tank And the torn fins will heal soon, but if your having problems try Melafix..its great for healing fins

It may not be what you want to hear, but I feel from my own experience its not worth trying to keep 2 when there is so much aggresion. I myself couldn't bare to see it so found Mrs gourami a home

 

[andywatkins]

We had a similar problem, one of our pearl gourami harassed everything in the tank, except a very robust blue acara who would not have accepted that behaviour. In the end we had to take the aggressive gourami back to the fish shop, change in tank is remarkable, all the other fish now get on with very little aggression, the odd push here and there but nothing like it was....

Andy

 

[BOD]

quick question then, can u just keep 1 gourami on its own?

 

[Phantom Thief]

Definitely.

P.T.

 

[littleme1969]

Yes...not a problem.
They may sulk for a while if they are used to the gourami chasing way of life
But they soon settle
Mines very happy and is King of his castle

 

[CathyG]

Gourami are labyrinth fish, just like Bettas, and IMHO should be considered on similar lines. It is ok to keep one alone, but equally be wary of putting two males in the same tank, unless it is a large tank with plenty of hiding places.

I have two honey gourami in a 120litre, one is very much larger than the other, and presumably the boss, but I have seen no animosity between them. The smaller one is quite retiring, spending most of the day swimming through the plants, but happily comes out to feed (once the initial frenzy has died down). The larger one is bold enough to feed from my hand. I see the two of them pair up regularly, one following the other around...but as soon as the "dominant" one swims away, the shy one will retreat again.

3 spot Gouramis can potentially grow to about 15cm, I don't know the size of yours now, but as you intend, a larger tank will be necessary for them to grow and to establish their territory.

 

[ldytmropr]

I had a Gourami that was like that. An Opaline. I took him back to the LFS and the Gourami taht he chased decided to be the boss and chased everyone else. I took him back too. I still have 1 smaller Blue Gourami and 2 Kissers and everyone is cohabitating peacefully with the other fish. I hope things work out for you, but I agree with above if there's not fin nipping or picking and all he's doing is chasing, you may be ok, but I like "EVERYONE TO GET ALONG" ... Good Luck!!