Aggressive Banded Gourami

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RoK

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Feb 6, 2005
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My banded gourami (male) was chasing all my other gouramis so I decided to move him to the 10 gal for now. He has a part of his dorsal missing today, I'm guessing one of them decided to finally fight back even though they usually just swim away. My other gouramis are a little faster, except the dwarf :? so they usually get away without any parts of fins missing.
Ok, now for the question. Do you think if I got him a female or 2 he might calm down? I really don't want him to be permanently in the 10 and I don't want to get rid of him because I really like him. :|
 
gouramis are extremely territorial. Do you have lots of hiding places in your tank? also, planted plants and floating plants (real or fake) where territories can be established?
 
I should be getting some tall plants and maybe some more ornaments with holes to hide in but I do have ornaments, 3 large rocks and driftwood with fake plant attached to hide. I also want to get some floating plants, but what about the question about the females?
TY for responding!
 
It may work, and it may not. I have always had trouble keeping gouramis with other gouramis, but others have had better luck. Sometimes if the female is not "ready" the male will chase her off in hopes of attracting another female, so the aggression might not resolve.
 
also, if the male is a jevunile, he may not be interested yet and/or not know what to do.
 
Also, please correct me if I am wrong, don't gouramis tend to become *more* aggressive when spawning, and not less? If that's the case, then somehow my gut tells me simply adding females to the tank isn't going to resolve things. :?
 
He is about 2.5-2.6" so I'm pretty sure is not a juvenile. I am going to get some plants (tall and/or floating) or something for more hiding places, possibly get a female (will go back to the store if gets harassed) and will put him back into the big tank.
He doesn't show off his really dark brown colors in this small tank and looks like he wants to go back to the big tank. :(
It's kind of weird though, at the stores they have many gouramis together and they all seem to get along fine but when I take some home (even if I get a few from that same tank) they sometimes chase each other. :|
I'm not trying to get them to spawn, just was wondering if he might like being with a female and just swim with her (and leave the others alone)?
 
I am not 100% sure, but I don't think gouramis pair off. Also, in the store, since there are so many in the tank it's not as easy for a bully to emerge. However, with 2 or 3 gouramis in the tank, it's definitly possible.
 
Well, I had 7 gouramis in the big tank.
Hm, I just recently noticed one of my opalines is a male. When we got him the dorsal was not pointed, it was kinda roundish. It's grown the point now and I'm thinking about taking him back because now he is starting to cause a little trouble. I don't get problems with the females very much, but the males are definently territorial. I have 3 males, the opaline (which will be going to my family friend's tank or to the store), the dwarf (going to the 10 once my banded is back in the 75), and the banded who is the most aggressive. I hope once I get those things done it may help lower the aggression at least a little, he did mostly pick on my little dwarf though. :(
 
I just got 2 Anacharis plants for the 75 today and will be moving the banded back in and the dwarf will be going to the 10 tomorrow. Also, I will be adding another ornament that's big enough for the fish to go into. Petsmart doesn't carry floating plants apparently? At least that's what the guy who bags the fish and plants said.
I also got some Omega One flakes.
 
RoK said:
I just got 2 Anacharis plants for the 75 today and will be moving the banded back in and the dwarf will be going to the 10 tomorrow. Also, I will be adding another ornament that's big enough for the fish to go into. Petsmart doesn't carry floating plants apparently? At least that's what the guy who bags the fish and plants said.
I also got some Omega One flakes.

Anacharas usually does just as well floating or planted, IME
 
Maybe I'll get a few more and have some of them float.
I actually haven't moved him back in the 75 yet but when I do I'll let you know how things work out. :wink:
 
He seems to be doing fine and I haven't seen any aggression out of him yet, I just hope it stays that way. However, now my male opaline is getting a little more aggressive. :? I was going to give him to a friend and still might, but he's got such a nice coloration it's hard to give him up. :(
 
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