fish types and how they perceive themselves?

[fearlessfisch]

There are actually two questions, but both have to do with self-perception in fish.

Do different types of corycats see themselves as different types of fish, or do they school together? I had a single paleatus, and wanted to buy some more cories. I really liked the panda cories, but ended up buying more paleatus cories, because I wasn't sure if the paleatus would perceive himself as one of the pandas. Will different types of cories school together, or do they consider themselves different types?

Also, I recently added a male flame gourami to my tank. Because the powder blue gourami and the betta were getting along so well together, I wasn't going to buy another gourami, but I just couldn't resist when I saw this little guy's gorgeous colors. There was some chasing and bullying the first day (larger powder blue chasing new flame), but now they seem to have settled down and are getting along okay.

Here's the question. I was wondering about adding another flame gourami to the tank--maybe a female--but I wonder if that would just cause fights. Would a powder blue consider a female flame a potential mate and thus see the male flame as a rival? Or would he perceive himself as a different type of fish and let the male flame pursue any sort of relationship that might develop?

I really like the new flame, but he is smaller than the blue powder, and I'd either like to add another male flame or a female flame....I can't explain it, but it just seems like I'd like another flame in there for balance. I just wish I could ask the fish what they think about it.

 

[BrianNY]

Hi fearlessfisch. You aren't the first guy to try and figure out how something with a brain less than the size of a pea thinks. *LOL*

The truth is (IMO), that fish instinctively behave based on only 2 factors. Survival and reproduction. That brings all the territorial and struggle for dominance into play. The introduction of a female gourami (if you can find one), into your tank may or may not be the catalyst for aggressive behavior. Then again, adding a male may do the same thing.

Each individual will have it's own personality. But I really don't think they perceive themselves at all. The kind of just do what they're going to do. Make sense?

 

[fearlessfisch]

heh heh....okay, you're right...they probably don't sit around pondering their own identities (or much of anything else, for that matter). sometimes they just *seem* so thoughtful, you know? i am convinced that my betta is really quite a philosopher. and the two gouramis have some political differences they haven't entirely worked out yet.

i was thinking something along the same lines (brain the size of a pea...) when someone suggested a while back that putting a fish in "time out" for a while might stop bullying. my cat doesn't even respond to time-outs, and his brain is *at least* the size of a walnut. i think they explained it in terms of then being the new fish in the territory again, though, which could make sense.

what about in terms of plain old hard-wiring. Would a powder blue ever try to mate with a female flame? Or would their conflicts mostly be territorial? Anyone know?

 

[BrianNY]

Actually I think they might be strains of the same species (dwarf gourami), so a cross might not be out the question. The trick will be in finding females. Most lfs don't get them because pple buy only the more colorful males.

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Menagerie]

I can't confirm anything. However, one of my new Mbuna cichlids is acting like a dog! It's the smallest of my new guys and yesterday he was displaying to his reflection in the glass and then "barking" at it. My mature males are all displaying in hopes of winning the affections of a certain gravid female and there's the little guy going to town in the corner!
I was wondering about the new flame gourami--do you know if it's sexually mature? That would be my biggest concern. You can add all the juvies you like and not have problems (isn't that how most of us get into trouble--especially with cichlids), but once they mature, you can kiss clam and tranquility good bye
Quick comment on cories--I have four different species totaling 13 individuals and they tend to hang out together.

 

[Christmasfish]

They are all colisa...
But colisa chuna and lalia are similar enough in size, range, colors and pheremone meters that they will consider themselves the same. i know there have BEEn hibrids,..but I am not sure how much human intervention was in those cases or if the offspring were fertile.

Your "flame" can be either the colisa chuna morph or the two red lalia ones (red flame, or rainbow) A female will most CERTAINLY cause aggression and haviung one female targets her for a lot of harrasment. A female in a pet store enviroment will be very small dull and usually tattered. Large groups of females turn the tables and can shred the lovely dorsal of a male if he disturbs their area of the tank.
Powders, ,neons, reds, flames, rainbows and wilds will definitely intermingle. you have them mixed in a tank and they will pair as they please. You offspring will mostly be wild type.

That help? far as aggression...dwarf gourami are nearly as unpredictable as bettas.
They will often pick on non-gourami tank mates..or if in a tank of large aggressives will hide shyly at the bottom until the starve or drown. Would not suggest having a male female ratio that is any less than 1:3:1 And the you may need to replace an omega fish or add one more female for dithering.

 

[fearlessfisch]

very helpful....thanks everyone.

given that you all say different types of gouramis do intermingle, i'm not sure i want to throw a female into the mix after all. the powder blue is still a lot bigger than the flame, and i don't want to give him any more reasons to bully. things seem to be settling down between them. i don't know if the flame is sexually mature...he is little, but i also read that flames tend to be quite small even for dwarf gouramis.

maybe i will keep the tank more of a bachelor pad for now--sounds like one female might create too much drama, and i really don't think i want to buy a bunch of females.

well......the tank is kind of looking like a bachelor pad anyway.....i really must go vacuum the substrate.

 

[Menagerie]

well......the tank is kind of looking like a bachelor pad anyway.....i really must go vacuum the substrate

You are doing the right thing by not adding more gouramis--your tank will definitely be more 'peaceful' in the long run!

 

[ChileRelleno]

Cories

It has been my experience that while different cories will mix at times but prefer the company of their own type when actively schooling. I have a school of Bronze and used to have a lone Peppered who would interact as above, the loner was very much a outsider to the school.

The Gouramis can be tempermental so the advice not to add more would be my advice too.