Opaline Gourami

[idlefingers]

I've posted this question on the tail end of a stocking advice thread I started, but figured it would be better to post it over here:

[I bought 2 opaline gourami last friday]

One thing which I am worried about which has developed in the past 24hrs is that one is constantly chasing the other, well, except when the victim is hiding in the plants!

When in the shop, we (me & the fish shop dude) spent a good while watching them, trying to decide which were male and female - it was bloody hard! We found two which stuck together and one looked like it had more pointed dorsal fin, but now I'm worried that I have two males!

Is this going to stop once the aggressive one proves that he's boss or is it going to continue??

I'm really worried and dis-heartened that even with lots of research and really trying hard to get a male & female that I may have made (yet another) stocking mistake. What should I do?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

...

One other thing I forgot to mention is that it's the gourami which has a more rounded dorsal fin which is chasing the one with a spikey fin - so is that the female chasing the male?! Or have I probably just got the sexing wrong?

 

[sylvia]

It doesn't really matter what sexes they are. You should never really keep three-spots in pairs. One will always chase the other.

If you do have a pair, there's no reason for the female to not be doing the chasing The larger fish is usually the most dominant and the sex is irrelevant. Eventualy the male will overtake her and the tables will turn.

If you have two males, one will almost certainly kill the other while with two females you'd just continue having this type of aggression. Actually, with two females, it could even calm down a tad - maybe only showing up during feeding or when the dominant is in a bad mood.

BTW, it's no use looking for 'two hanging out together' if you are after a pair. Gouramies don't 'pair up' like cichlids do. They are more one-night-stand types

If you want three-spots, you need to either stick with just one or get a group of 4 or more females (only if your tank's at least 30-40 gallons). If you want a mixed group, a trio would work (1 male, 2 females) but then you either have to prevent them from spawning or make sure their tankmates are things that can get out of the male's way (fast).

Can you post pics of these fish to have them sexed?

What I'd suggest is to return one and keep the other alone or else swap the two for a trio of pearls which are far mroe peaceful. What else is in your tank?

 

[idlefingers]

Damn!

I'll get some pics of them tonight, though getting one of the victim is going to be hard

I've got a 33gal with 15 neons, 6 corys and these 2 opaline gourami.

I think this is heavily stocked, so getting more isnt really an option. I guess I'll have to take one back. Would it be better to get rid of the bully or the victim? If I keep the bully, is he/she just gonna move onto bullying my other fish?

 

[sylvia]

That's why I'd like to know the sexes... If the bully is male and the other female you might be better off keeping the female. If both are female, it's best to keep the bully and if both are male it's best to go with the victim If you have the unusual case of a female bullying a male, it's best to keep the male... so it depends basically

 

[idlefingers]

Well, as expected, the bully was easy to get a pic of, but the victim not so!

The Bully:

The Victim:

I'll continue to try to get a better pic of the victim!

 

[sylvia]

They both look female but I do think a clearer pic of the victim is necessary (I'm definite about the bully).

 

[TerraDreamer]

I concur with Sylvia on the sexing of the fish; the top one is definitely female, the other with its fullness also suggests female? I had the very same problem with two Opalines, so much so that I ended up returning one the store where I purchased it. The other one will be given to my brother-in-law once he returns from a business trip. I've added four Pearls to the tank and he seems to get along very well with them; swimming about with them, etc. Perhaps he feels outnumbered by them, or the absence of another of his genus has calmed him down. At this point I hate to part with him, he’s so beautiful, but I must due to tank constraints.

 

[idlefingers]

Well i don't know what to do now

I'd love to get more to spread the aggression or get a group of Pearls, but I don't feel that I have enough space because of all the neons.

If I took one back would the other be okay on her own then? In the book I've been consulting, it sayd they need to be kept as a pair, minimum.

Do pearls really have a much different temperament?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[nissansabre]

So what is the difference between idlefingers` opaline gourami and my cosby gourami ?
I know theyre the same fish but are they exactly same?
I bought 2 blues and 2 cosbys got home and saw they the same fish!?

I wonder what Ive got...

 

[Dagu]

I am having the same problem!! 2 females where one is constantly bulling the other who now spend her time hiding and rarely eats, i am soon going to more the victim to another tank so she gets some peace.

 

[idlefingers]

I think I'm going to take both back tomorrow. I don't want to run the risk of keeping one and it becoming aggressive towards my other fish.

I've read that the Pearl gourami is much more peaceful, but if I just got one, rather than two again would it be happy on it's own? What's the minimum number you should keep together?

 

[sylvia]

Just one MALE pearl would be fine. Females do better in groups as pearls are one of the more peaceful and most social of the gouramies.

However, keeping just one of the two you have would also be fine. But which of the two you should keep depends on the sex of the 'victim'. One alone won't suffer. They do better alone than in pairs - oftentimes better than they do even in threes (of the same sex) as well.

BTW - pearls and three-spots belong to the same genus - Trichogaster.

The more gouramies you keep - regardless of species - the less the aggression because it is spread out. Same idea as African Cichlid keepers who overcrowd to reduce aggression

Cosby and opaline are just different names for exactly the same three-spot color morph.

I think that's all I wanted to say

 

[TerraDreamer]

BTW - pearls and three-spots belong to the same genus - Trichogaster.

Ahh yes, you explained that once a few threads ago, thanks for the reminder

 

[beanyboy1982]

i think i have 2 males ? 1 i have had for about 5 - 6 years an the other 1 i got 2 day an their doing the same chaseing each other

 

[idlefingers]

Just one MALE pearl would be fine. Females do better in groups as pearls are one of the more peaceful and most social of the gouramies.

However, keeping just one of the two you have would also be fine. But which of the two you should keep depends on the sex of the 'victim'. One alone won't suffer. They do better alone than in pairs - oftentimes better than they do even in threes (of the same sex) as well.

BTW - pearls and three-spots belong to the same genus - Trichogaster.

The more gouramies you keep - regardless of species - the less the aggression because it is spread out. Same idea as African Cichlid keepers who overcrowd to reduce aggression

Cosby and opaline are just different names for exactly the same three-spot color morph.

I think that's all I wanted to say

I decided to take the victim back today.. The guys at the shop said that if the other turns to bullying the other fish, then I can bring it back, too. So I'll just keep an eye on things and hope she's a happier bully now!

Thanks very much for everyone's input.