Blue Gourami Behavior

[Ashleyrm]

I have 2 Blue Gourami about 2 - 2.5 in long and i just noticed them possibly cleaning each other? not sure if this is common behavior or not. basically they were side by side facing opposite directions and sucking on each others sides and tails neither did any damage to one another or seemed annoyed or was trying to escape this went on for about 20 minutes. i did get about 1:30 min on film if anyone is interested in viewing.

thanks, Ashley

 

[Blueiz]

What size tank do you have them in?

 

[loadedk]

My two male gourami will "stand-off" like that from time to time. They face opposite directions, flair, and fan their tails at each other. They don't really ever get extra aggressive and don't seem to stressed by it.

Edit - Hi by the way, long time reader, first time poster!

 

[Ashleyrm]

its a 20 gal

 

[Jgeezer1986]

When i had my 55 set up before , i had two of them. They were fin nippers especially to my angels. They stayed pretty close to each other. At times i thought they were fighting but never harmed one another. They would often take the same position, side by side, but they would jump at each other. They would POKE.. then swim around each other a little bit and do it again. My dad said he also had a pair that did the same exact thing when he had the same 55 set up years before i did.

I plan on getting them again. Their behaviors are very interesting with with each other.

 

[Blueiz]

Your tank is to small to keep both of these together in.. You will constantly have territory fights as they mature. Especially if they are both the same sex.

 

[Ashleyrm]

thanks for the advice. i think they are both male and female. ones dorsal is definitely longer and thiner.