Shy Pearl Gourami

[pyro9097]

Hi all,

I got a new Pearl gourami about 5 weeks ago. He spent two weeks in QT and then moved over to my display tank. When he first came home he always his against the fact rock structure I had but by the end of the two weeks he would swim over to me when I would sit by the tank.

He is now in a 25g tank with 5 false julii corys, 10 harlequin rasboras, and a cardinal tetra. He hides under the driftwood piece almost all day. He will come out to eat when I feed but only if I stand completely still and even then I worry that he isn't getting enough to eat because he often only eats a flake or two.

Any suggestions on other food or thoughts on why he is so shy are welcome!



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[emerald76]

All those active fish are probably scaring him.


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[Luananeko]

All those active fish are probably scaring him.


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+1. Gourami can be surprisingly skittish. Even when I had 5 gourami in my 75g, I rarely saw them come out of hiding much until I moved them to a tank that wasn't by so much foot traffic and didn't have such active fish.

 

[pyro9097]

I think I was unclear with what I was trying to explain. Or really I just forgot to mention this part.

I'll walk in the front door of my apt and he'll be up by the surface or swimming around the middle of the tank. However as soon as he catches sight of me he heads to hide under the DW.

Do you think he'll always be this skittish? Is there anything I could do? Also any food suggestions for him so I can ensure he gets enough?


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[fishliker]

yes, I think all those fish make it uncomfortable. I have 3 pearl gourami in a 55 gallon tank with congo tetras. Yhe pearls hid a lot as the congos grew . I filled up the tank with as many plants as would fit, picture, including floating ones and they come out now much more. My answer is a heavily planted tank. Pearls don't care for fast swimming fish and like their own space... Actually like most of us I guess. ?. Mine still swim away if I approach the tank, unless is first thing in the morning when I feed them. They enjoy flake food and shrimp pellets, are eager eaters. Good luck.


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[Luananeko]

Thats exactly the same behavior I saw from my group of gouramis in my 75g. The tank was in a fairly high foot traffic location. Every time I moved (my computer chair was near the tank), they'd scatter into hiding. They only came out when I had been sitting in my chair very still for close to an hour. As soon as I moved, they'd scatter again. Very typical gourami behavior. They'd only be brave around feeding time, in which case they came out and begged. I fed them a rotation of live, frozen, flake, and pellet, so food doesn't appear to help bribe them into staying out in the open for very long.