gourami issue.

[cbk.o4]

so i have had a dwarf flame gourami for the past few weeks. it was the first fish i got for my tank. i was going to add more the next week, but the gourami got popeye and i was treating that, well the popeye is now completely healed, so i went and purchased some more fish this morning. i got a powder blue gourami, and a school of 6 tiger barbs.

as soon as i get home and put the two bags to float in my tank, the gourami comes out of nowhere and runs at the new powder blue trying to nip it. it only did it once and then just went back to swimming around. so i acclimate for an hour or so and then add the new fish to the tank.

so the PBG is exploring the new tank and the other gourami again just sneaks up on it and nips at it, and has been doing that now almost every time it sees it anywhere near the bottom of the tank. the PBG now just stays at the top of the tank and avoids any contact with the other gourami. from the beginning it hasnt nipped back in anyway, it just runs and goes to the top of the tank. everynow and then it will try and go back to the bottom and when it gets seen the dwarf nips at it.

will this continue to go on? or will they eventually even out?

 

[Zagz]

They may not work it out IMO, you have to give it a day or so and if it doesn't improve remove the new powder blue. It might just be a show of territorial aggression. You could try going and doing a water change and moving some of the ornaments around to lessen the territoral issue and see if that helps. Good luck.

 

[cbk.o4]

idk it has seemed to work itself out for now, the PBG has started standin up for itself more, and not lettin the DFG nip at it as much. The PBG is hanging around the bottom of the tank more so hopefully it will all work out.

 

[exodus]

My new golden gourami started having this problem with my existing 3-spot gourami, the problem evened itself out. I'd also make sure you have plenty of places for fish to hide in there, because whenever mine got nipped at it would always just run and hide in the maze of wisteria in the left side of my tank.

 

[Squirt0170]

I have read that re-arranging the decorations before adding the new fish will make the tank "fair game" that way the old fish are confused and the "new" fish don't know the difference. This is good for territorial problems.

 

[hulkamaniac]

I've heard that male gourami's don't get along.

 

[Squirt0170]

My 2 will try snipping at each other... They don't get along with Betta's either.. They try snipping at their tail...

 

[cbk.o4]

yeah, ill give it a lil bit, im prolly gettin my other fish from liveaquaria tomorrow morning, so i may switch around my driftwood placement. see if they calm down some more.

 

[RoK]

IME, 2 is not a good amount of gouramis to keep in a tank. 1 being usually the best or 3+ to spread aggression (only 1 male is a good idea since they are usually more territorial than females).

 

[Burks]

I've heard that male gourami's don't get along.

They didn't in my case. First time I've ever had problems with two males. The smaller one was pretty beat up so I removed him from the tank. He now rules a 20g along with a few Neons and such.

The bigger fish killed two of my Neons yesterday. Out of all the gourami's in the fish store I get the mentally unstable one.