dealing with a demon-fish

[hbeth82]

Situation: I have 3 flame dwarf gourami in my 20gal tank and am hoping to add some Bolivian rams in the near very future. One of the gourami (Smithers) began abusing the other two almost constantly while they were still acclimating in the bag. After a lot of work, I removed Smithers from the tank & he's now in 'time out', my 10 gal isolation tank, while the other two are getting a little braver. The plan had been to pick up the Rams Friday (tomorrow) and then add them & the little red monster at the same time, with the hope that he'd chill out with the addition of other fish. However, I just learned from the store that they didn't get the fish in =

Question: What do I do with the evil one? I don't want to leave him in the 10 gal time-out tank for another week (and dealing with the every-other-day water changes) not to mention the shock for him of going back to his home tank, but if I put him back he might gradually kill the other two, so this seems like the best option. There are two other tanks where I could put him, a 50 gal NW cichlid tank (where he'd be the littlest fish & a PAIN to catch again) or the mild-mannered turtle tank.

So, what would be best? Basically, I'm leaning towards keeping him in the 10 gal, as long as it won't hurt him. Thoughts?

 

[fishboy444]

Might want to try and get another one.They love planted aquaria.Move him in at the same time as the other FDG(if you plan to get another one).Keeping him in there probably won't hurt him for another week or so...

 

[hbeth82]

Might want to try and get another one.

Another one what? Another flame? Since he beat the crud out of the other two, I'm not eager to put another in with him but I understand what you mean - I got these other two so he wouldn't be alone! I have some fake plants attached to equally fake logs in with him now so he has some coverage.

One of my bigger concerns is that he's not getting any light in the tank (isolation is on shelf below main tank & no way to get healthy light to him), so when he goes back home, will it freak him out too much?

 

[WhiteDevil]

if he is doing that to the other dwarfs, he will certainly kill off the rams.

 

[hbeth82]

I know the Rams are described as peaceful fish but would he still go after a different species? Good point though, hadn't thought of that - may be even worse since the rams will be less than 2". Any thoughts on what I can do?

 

[WhiteDevil]

Try and get rid of him, return him for no credit if needed, Ive had to do this a few times. my dwarf flames when I had them were always very very peaceful,, I cant relate to that species but I am sure he is trying to establish alpha fish in the tank.

 

[hbeth82]

Hoping to avoid doing that but if it's likely that he'll beat up on any other fish, not much choice. With the last gourami that did this, I tried something similar & added plants & some driftwood while he was gone but it made no difference. Do you think I should try to replace him or just be glad that the 2 I have are doing ok?

Kinda weird how things worked out - started out with two fish who did ok together & then 1 died. Other stopped eating, so I got him a friend (Smithers, who shall now be known as Ozzy) & the survivor pestered him until starving to death himself. Now Ozzy's returning the favor for the 2 who were supposed to keep him company. Tried rationalizing all this out with him yesterday while he was acclimating to his temp home, don't think it helped.

 

[WhiteDevil]

I think he is a loaner fish, some fish are like this, even the most described community fish turn up every now and then as loaners. My angels are that bad I had to put tiger barbs with them just to even up the playing field.

 

[hbeth82]

Thanks for the advice, though not quite what I'd hoped to hear. Hadn't thought about it being a personality thing, more that for the previous gourami (which I think probably starved) and this Ozzy, they'd each had time alone in the tank, so each started thinking of it as his tank. Neither ever bothered the otos, just members of the same species.

Since the other two seem to get along ok, should I get another gourami or do you think they're better off as a pair?