are dwarf gourami really this difficult?

[hbeth82]

I'll hopefully be getting a 40 gal breeder next weekend and hope to get some Bolivian Rams but not sure about which other fish to move in. I started out with 2 flame dwarfs who did quite well for about 5-6 months, but then one died (showed dropsy, don't know the cause) and have had bad luck since - those that don't die are abusive to the other & one of the fish did both. I've bought a total of 6 fish (including the first 2) and have lost 3 (dropsy; refused to eat; looked bad coming home from the store & never ate).

Water parameters have stayed fairly consistent, ammonia & nitrite = 0, nitrate <20ppm. I've read about the dwarf gourami disease that most of the fish commercially available are believed to have.

I really like the gourami but get a little heart-broken each time one dies & am starting think it may not be wise to get more. So, am I doing something wrong or are dwarf gourami that difficult to keep? Thinking about switching to phantom or emperor tetras or else neons.

 

[joy13]

Dwarf gourami are very territorial, if more than one male is kept in to small of tank the stress will cause a variety of problems usually leading to death. I seldom find females in the local stores most people like the bright colors of the males.

Most tetras will be ok with rams.

 

[hbeth82]

It seems like if two gourami are introduced to the tank at the same time, they (I think but may well be wrong) see each other as equals & in these situations haven't had any problem. It's usually when one has had the tank to himself for a while and then a new fellow is introduced, then they rumble.

Now I have the most recent aggressor in a 10gal isolation tank & the only survivor in the 20gal 'home' tank. Not sure what else to do but to get rid of both (as I'm sure the lone fish in the 20gal now feels it's HIS tank), just not sure if I want to try another gourami pair or just stick with the more amicable tetras.

 

[hbeth82]

Been thinking it over & although the two little red demons I have now will be going back, I'd still like to keep the flame gourami in my tank, so would the following work:

*2 flame dwarf gourami
*4-6 Bolivian Rams (only 1.5" now, after they grow & pair can give away some if necessary)
*6+ emperor or black fin tetras

Thoughts, suggestions? Or should I just give up on the gourami?

Thanks for any advice & all the patience with my obsessiveness!

 

[dkpate]

I have 4 dwarf gourami in my 20G tank and they are perfectly fine. They do race eachother to food, but that's no big deal. I have been reading, that with most semi-aggresive fish, (also the same in most of the rest of the animal world), it is better to have a group of 3-6 because you will probably always have one dominant one, but he will stop picking on just the one other fish. Hard to explain lol. Sorry if I confused you even more lol....The leave my loaches alone too. Maybe if you had like 2 more it would be okay. Although I think now, you have 2 who think they own the place, so the 2 new ones would probably get picked on. Good luck!

 

[hbeth82]

No, any & all guidance is appreciated as I don't want to cram 30 fish into this 40 gal & everyone suffer.

I'd had three most recently (bought two to keep 1 company), thinking that they might do better than if it were just 'new guy to the tank' vs 'old guy in the tank'. However, that's how one of them ended up in the time-out tank, another in the home tank, & the third in the freezer (hadn't looked well since I brought him home & the store where I bought him was about 30 min away so need to make time for the trip). Kinda ironic - the mean one who's in the isolation tank now, I picked him out because he looked kinda pathetic since part of his tail and dorsal fin had been nibbled off. Silly huh?

My current plan is to tomorrow return the two living & 1 deceased back (2 were purchased about 1 wk ago) & just explain the situation. I'm hopeful that by starting over with a whole new group, none of them will feel that they own the entire tank.

So you would recommend getting 3 rather than 2, or more? Also, was my stocking list ok or too much?

 

[dkpate]

Are you feeding them enough? I feed mine a pinch or 2, 2-3 times a day. They are PIGS! I read somewhere that they will start fighting eachother if there is not enough food, just like people would ya know? How big is your tank now?

 

[hbeth82]

Probably put more food in there than I ought to - twice a day they got a few sprinkles each of Omega Sinking pellets, Tetra Crisps, & freeze-dried bloodworms. I have a little feeding ring which keeps most of it from being immediately sucked into the filter but the evil one now in the isolation tank (Ozzy) would chase the others from the area. When I tried offering food elsewhere while Ozzy was eating, he swim to the new spot & chase off the others.

The tank I have now is a fairly dense 20 gallons and I plan to pick up a 40gal on Sunday. My isolation (time-out tank) is 10 gal with some hideous fake plants. In terms of getting the fish I'm considering (gourami, tetras, & rams), the gourami & tetras I would likely pick up today or tomorrow & could not get the rams until Friday.

I'm hopeful that by bringing in three at the same time, everybody will be able to get along in the same way my first two did. Just not sure if I've screwed up to have this many problems with them.

 

[dkpate]

I think you are on the right track! I have the 4 dwarfs and they are FINALLY coming out to play and eat after 4 days. They see me in the room and immediatley come to the side I am on or swim up by the feeding hole lol. And at night, the loaches are crackheads. One of them was trying to jump out when I was doing a water change lol. And the other ones were swimming around happily while I put the new water in. Good luck!

 

[hbeth82]

Returned the two most-recently purchased fish (1 living, 1 not) this afternoon & picked up another two flames & a powder blue. So far, everything is peaceful & it's great to see a little more color in there!

Can't wait to get the new tank!!!