Gouramis and Platys

[Otter2009]

I have a 36 gallon tank with two opaline gouramis (both males). There has been some aggression between them but nothing too much. Today, I added 6 platys to the tank and the gouramis have been chasing them all around.

Any advice as to what I can do? Would it help if I moved one of the gouramis to my 20 gallon tank (or would that gourami just start chasing the fish around in that tank)?

Thanks!

 

[duckpharts]

What else is in the tank? Plants, rocks, wood, moss, algae eaters, snails or shrimps?
What kind of filter and heating source? Do you have a sponge filter as well?
What’s their diet like? How about their light cycle and have you tested the water lately?
Any signs of disease or parasites?

 

[Otter2009]

The tank is heavily planted and also has some snails in it.

Parameters:

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5-10
pH - About 6.5


Diet: Flakes, Bug Bites, Bloodworms

Light: Pre-programmed 24 hr cycle

No signs of disease or parasites.

I should note that I previously has tiger barbs in the tank but lost them when I had a CO2 spike.

 

[earhtmother]

The other factor might be how long this has been a **gourami only** tank

 

[Otter2009]

For a few days, the tiger barbs died on Sunday and I added the platys on Thursday.

 

[Barliman]

Opalines are trichopodus trichopterus species, the same that produces other color morphs such as Blues and Gold Gouramis. Beautiful, but they can also be notorious buttheads. The gouramis probably see the platys as intruders in their territory. And platys aren't the kind to "punch back" to put the gouramis in their place, either. It might settle down eventually, but it may not. Keep an eye on things; if the gouramis continue being bullies, I'd consider either giving them to the store, or moving the platys to another tank.

 

[Otter2009]

At this point, the platys have mostly retreated to various hiding spots but every time they come out, the gouramis are right there to cause trouble. I'm thinking I should maybe just move the platys but I don't want to overload my smaller tank. I have a few species of tetras in the smaller tank (neon, Columbian, rummy-nose, and serpae) in addition to a Bolivian ram and cory. Would any of those be good candidates to "trade" to the gourami tank? Or would the gouramis just cause trouble with all of those species?

 

[Barliman]

I think it's likely they'll get aggressive with them, except maybe the Bolivian. But, like I said, this species of gourami can be a pill.