Pearl Gouramis

[Frasier]

I have a 3 foot tank with a mixture of black neons, glowlights, bleeding heart tetras, neon tetras, cherry barbs and two adult pearl gouramis. I thought that the gouramis were both female, however they seem to be very teritorial and the rest of the fish are hiding at the bottom of the tank. Has anyone heard of or seen a male pearl gouramis with a smaller dorsal fin than the female? I have been keeping fish for 15 years and never come across this situation before! Should i separate the gouramis or add other fish? If anyone has got any advice i would be very grateful!

 

[SouthernCross]

Females can be bullies too. I've got a M/F/F trio, and one of my females harasses the other on occasion. Nothing terrible, just chases her around a bit. They don't bother any of the other fish at all though.

 

[Frasier]

Females can be bullies too. I've got a M/F/F trio, and one of my females harasses the other on occasion. Nothing terrible, just chases her around a bit. They don't bother any of the other fish at all though.

Thanks for the advice. I hadn't thought of that! I will just keep a close watch. The rest of the tank seem more active today and not hiding as they were yesterday.

 

[Majjie]

I've had females that were bullies too.

Plus I've just removed a male from a 4 foot tank where he was getting very stressed by another male. He's now in a 2 foot tank with male guppies and panda and pygmy cories. I thought he was a female for a good few months back last year ... but he did eventually grow a longer dorsal fin and get a frilly bottom!

He seems much happier now he's on his own but he has started to chase the guppies and the pandas ... just to make him feel more manly, now he's not being bullied, I guess!

That leaves two females and a male in the bigger tank - which seems to be working well ... a bit of bickering but nothing serious.

Getting another female might calm yours down a bit ... but I found it very difficult to find pearls big enough to sex.

 

[Frasier]

I've had females that were bullies too.

Plus I've just removed a male from a 4 foot tank where he was getting very stressed by another male. He's now in a 2 foot tank with male guppies and panda and pygmy cories. I thought he was a female for a good few months back last year ... but he did eventually grow a longer dorsal fin and get a frilly bottom!

He seems much happier now he's on his own but he has started to chase the guppies and the pandas ... just to make him feel more manly, now he's not being bullied, I guess!

That leaves two females and a male in the bigger tank - which seems to be working well ... a bit of bickering but nothing serious.

Getting another female might calm yours down a bit ... but I found it very difficult to find pearls big enough to sex.

Thank you very much for the advice, much appreciated.

 

[Luketendo]

I hope my female doesn't mutate into a male when I upgrade then.