Help with Opaline Gourami Aggression

[FiReMoUtH_GrL]

I just bought a male Dwarf Powder Blue Gourami & a Emerald Green Cory cat for my tank yesterday, and my Opaline male was chasing them throughout the whole tank continuously! I took him out of the tank for 2 hours to give time for them to establish territory, and rearranged the decor. It worked for 1 day until today at around 3:00pm, but it started all over. I took him out this time for what's going to be for 4 hours (still set apart), and I still can't figure out what's going on. There's no females in the tank (as I know of because I don't know what 1 of my fish are) so it can't be because of that, & territory: I changed the decor yesterday night & everyone marked new territory. What else should I try? Since I don't want my poor catfish & dwarf gourami to die of a stress attack... All help is appreciated

FiReMoUtH_GrL

 

[Allivymar]

What size tank? I don't remember.

 

[ferret]

This may just be a temporary thing as the gourami's establish a social pecking order.

 

[webmoose]

Hey FiReMoUtH_GrL,

I got a Opaline Gourami as a gift and she/he ended up very aggressive similar to what you are saying. 2 days fine and then on the 3rd day she/he would just go nuts and go after everyone. I think that these particular Gourami do best with lots of space.

Hopefully you have a big enough tank so it can establish it's territory.

With mine I gave it some time but eventually I had to return mine to the local pet store. The decided that the rest of my community was more important.

Best of luck...

 

[FiReMoUtH_GrL]

Yea thats the same thing here. My Kissing gourami & him were the first additions to the community, and they got along great. Until yesterday, I found him chasing my Kisser!

 

[FiReMoUtH_GrL]

Hey ferret... i saw on your signature that you have a 29gal. w/ a kissing gourami, dwarf gourami, and opaline gourami. People on this website and others said that's not possible... the kisser won't fit at all.

 

[ferret]

He's fit for close to two months now There's also a gold gourami, too.

What people tell you and what is really possible won't always be the same. Some people have had bad experiences, others have had different ones.

But, for what its worth, he's actually just there temporarily. He's only about 4 inches at this time so causes no trouble. Eventually he'll be moved out as he grows closer to full size. The only real reason he'll be moving is because eventually he'll try to eat my glow lite tetras, and will outgrow the tank. I don't foresee any problems between him and the other gouramis.

 

[FiReMoUtH_GrL]

oh

 

[ferret]

Way back a few months ago, the tank was going to be ONLY gouramis. But the lfs decided to have all its fish get diseased so I lost a good portion of those before they even left QT.

The original plan was 2x dwarf, 2x opaline, 2x gold, 2x red fire dwarf, and 1x pink kisser. As you can see I never replaced any of the fish that died or got any new ones. I moved my crowded 10 gallon fish into the 29 gallons and they've all be happy since.

 

[Allivymar]

The thing to keep in mind, gouramis generally do NOT get along without a lot of space and territory. But, just like people, each gourami is different. I actually have 3 dwarf gouramis in my well planted 10g; I had initially thought I would be giving one away when I got the third (I'm hoping its female but am just not sure). Strangely enough, I haven't needed to move them. They all have claimed different parts of the tank and except for the occasional scrap, they all get along. BUT! This is not the norm, and one needs to be prepared for the situation not to work. I still have a home for the 3rd gourami if things wind up not working out.

 

[webmoose]

I like that post Allivymar.... That sum's up the gouramis... Non agression in a smaller tank is the exception to the rule... and if you are going to risk it have a back up plan in place.... Kudos to you!

 

[Allivymar]

Heh, Thanx webmoose

I wouldn't HAVE 3 if females were easy to identify and find around here. Most places stock males cause they are usually more colorful. Prob is, with all the inbreeding colorful females have been known to pop up. Females are usually duller and have rounded fins (where the males are brighter and have pointy fins). So I'm trying to find that elusive female to give my bubble nest building males a purpose

 

[ferret]

I'm seriously pondering, once I have some money again, something in the 40-55 gallon range and recreating my gouramis tank. It'd be planted too.

 

[FiReMoUtH_GrL]

well, my Opaline isn't fighting with my Dwarf anymore... i'm glad! They actually swim together now! (not chasing each other)

 

[ferret]

Please tell me, by the way, that your signature is literally your favorite fish, and not what you have in one tank ;P

If they're all in one tank, you're gonna have only one favorite fish eventually ;p The oscar

 

[FiReMoUtH_GrL]

Yes, they are the fish in my tank... except for the oscar. I had him in a 200gal. w/ 5 others which my mom made me sell... :x

 

[FiReMoUtH_GrL]

isn't that messed up?