Aggressive Dwarf Gourami

[Tiffi]

Well, he's fine with the community IN his tank, but guess what he did!

I've been attacked by him ! Everytime I stick my arm in there to aquascape my tank, trim my plants he tries to pull the little hairs on my arm out. Even if I just stick my finger in there he bites into my finger! And earlier he "shot" me with a fountain of water! I didn't know gouramis do that! He seems to be scared of nothing! I can gently net him, set him free, net him, set him free, ... The only thing he does is turn around and shoot towards the net like hey buddy, you better don't do that again!

 

[Zagz]

Too funny! What an opinionated gourami! I have several gourami's, hope they don't learn the tricks of yours.

 

[Tiffi]

Yeah, mine really seems to have character!

 

[TankGirl]

Too funny!! I love that he shoots water. 8)

The two I have had were both extremely tough customers that killed their tankmates or gave them a run for their money, and would "nip" my arm when I did tank maintenance. I have heard of well-behaved DG's but I have yet to meet one.

 

[Tiffi]

Well, my dwarf gourami developed a death with and that was it .

I've aquascaped the tank today, so I took him out, since he is constantly biting me and is scared of nothing and therefore I put him in a little plastic bucket filled with aquarium water.
He jumped out the first time when I heard some water splashing and I've looked for him a long time until I see him back in the tank 8O . He must have gotten directly in the little opening on the back of the tank.
I took him out again but this time put a nylonstocking on top of the bucket. My mom called and a few minutes later I looked for him again and he was gone, laying behind the tank in all the dirt on the floor, jumped through the stocking 8O 8O ! It was a hell of a work to get him out there, but he was still alive but kinda dried.

I guess I will euthanise him now, since he doesn't look very good .

 

[TankGirl]

Before you do, give him a bit of time. I found my beloved (but what a jerk!) DG, Leopold, pretty much dried up on the kitchen counter when he jumped out of the 15gal I had him in. I put him back in and he struggled for a day or so, but then went on to live another 3 years!

 

[bosk1]

Unprovoked biting, spitting, and escaping from confinement... Sounds a lot like my little sister as we were growing up.

 

[Drocnoc]

If it can breath it might pull through, you have to verbally cheer for it to survive when you pass the tank.

Like they say in poker all you need is a chip and a chair. It's breathing, the chip and if it in the tank it got a chair.

Just let the guy play cards!

 

[Tiffi]

I will watch him some more, but if his situation seems to get worse I will euthanise him, cuz I don't want him to suffer (although he would probably eat me if he would be big enough ).

 

[Guest]

why euthanize if he is still alive? he still has a chance to survive and you don't know... i had a betta once that took the leap and he was pretty dry when i found him but he survided... of course he may pass away, but why put him down when he could still recover? I don't believe in euthanization unless you are absolutely positive that there is no chance for survival.

 

[Zezmo]

Well let's hope he pulls thru

heh, and if he does maybe the experience will mellow him out. Though, IME, such an experience only makes a fish more Grumpy.

 

[Tiffi]

I hope too that he will pull through and I won't kill him just like that, but I am a supporter of euthanasia. I've just wrote a looong exam about it in my ethics class and another one about our moral obligation toward animals. I'm talking about active euthanasia here and I just don't want to let him suffer and die slowly, no animal should die that way. He could suffer for days, develop other diseases etc.

But we will see, so far it's not looking too bad.

 

[Guest]

I support euthanasia as well... except when there is a possibility to recover. If you see him start developing other problems and there is no chance for any quality of life then i would say go ahead.. but at least give him a while and see if he turns around...
hows he doing now?