opaline gourami

[ger87410]

We got a opaline gourami (the second fish we ever bought, pretty thing too) in with an oscar who lost an eye, and a jask dempsey. The gourami will pick on the oscars blind side, tearing fins and bitting, and chase my other fish around, including the plecos. Opal will even chase the jack away during feeding time. What can I do with this terror? We have another tank with another opaline gourami, 3 tinfoils, upside down catfish and a loach and the stupid thing chased everything around but the catfish and loach. Had an absolute hay day with the tinfoils, you think we let a great white shark loose if you watched that thing. Maybe it's a reincarnation of a great white. Last night I went out and bought a tank divider, and I'm going to feed the gourami A LOT less and the oscar and Jack a lot more and when the oscar get bigger then the gourami, try again and see who is the aggressor. They are all 3" right now. What do you guys think I should do with the gourami? Have a beheading? Anyone want a gourgeous gourami? I'll attach a pic when I find my camera.

 

[cometcattle]

LOL, I have a gold gourami. Same fish, different color. He is a monster.

I just removed him from my 29g.
He is believed to have killed: 1 adult rainbow shark, 1 paradise fish, 1 male krib.

As soon as I took him out, my 3 bleeding heart tetras came out of hiding, as did my 2 new juvinelle new guinea rainbows. He was instantly trying to kill them as soon as they were released into the tank.

Today or tomorrow he gets "donated" to a LFS or pet smart.

I never knew they could be so nasty, and yes, he is a beautiful fish.

 

[Joviella]

gouramis can be evil fish.....but they are stunning to look at!!!

 

[ger87410]

People I need help here. what should I do with this fish? Should I keep it seperated forever?(My wife won't let me get rid of it) should it have an "accident"?

 

[Fawke]

hi there,

I had a male blue gourami with attitude. it bullied my other fish in particular the female blue gourami. he kept pinning her to the gravel and nipping at her. he went back to the lfs but within 24 hours the victim of his nipping turned into the tank bully!!!!!! now she does the chasing but does not damage the others in the same way.

dont know what to suggest as even when we removed our bully, we did not solve the problem. someone suggested to us that we take him out of the tank and move the tank decor around so his territory was disturbed. we did give this a go with the female bully but it was only a tempory help, however it did mean that as we fed them seperatly the others got a good feed

sorry I cant be much help, hope someone else has some ideas for chilling out gouramis!

 

[tstenback]

The only thing to do at this point is to take him back to the LFS or separate him from the rest of the fish either by divider or new tank. Once a bully always a bully when it comes to these dominant gouramis. Even when the oscars get larger this guy will go after them, he may not win the war but he will win some battles and damage the oscars. This guy is just not a good tank mate for the oscars. Godd luck with your bully.

 

[cometcattle]

The only thing to do at this point is to take him back to the LFS or separate him from the rest of the fish either by divider or new tank. Once a bully always a bully when it comes to these dominant gouramis. Even when the oscars get larger this guy will go after them, he may not win the war but he will win some battles and damage the oscars. This guy is just not a good tank mate for the oscars. Godd luck with your bully.

I agree.

I just took my gold gourami back. It sucks, but it was better for the whole tank.

 

[Fawke]

has anyone had the same problem as I have?

if I take back my female blue gourami, what are the chances of one of my others taking on these un-desirable ways? was I just unlucky?

 

[ger87410]

There's a difference between tank bully, and king of the tank. The fishes might just be trying to establish some sort of dominance. You see it in all other animals, so why not fish? If it bullies, I say send it to the big fishtank in the sky.

 

[Vip]

The gourami will pick on the oscars blind side, tearing fins and bitting, and chase my other fish around, including the plecos. Opal will even chase the jack away during feeding time. What can I do with this terror?

Midas

 

[Vip]

I wouldnt worry, start to worry when the jack grows up, then you will see a terror!

 

[ger87410]

Why's that? Are jacks fighters? I just want someone to give my gourami a messing up. Tear a few fins, you know.