Dwarf Gourami, Something Wrong?

[Pleco]

I got this blue Dwarf last Saturday, I am not sure if it is adjusting to the tank still or if something is wrong with it. I cant tell if its eating, but i can say it doesnt go out of its way to get food like the other fish do.

Other fish arent picking on it so i dont *think* its sick, but it spends most all its time perched in the fake foilage. I thought it was dead one day until i got the net to grab it and it darted away faster than ive ever seen a fish dart away. Seems to like perching in the fake foilage, doesnt look like its doing much except resting its body on the plants.

here are some pics, i thought it may help http://batou.org/gourami

My water parameters are all "normal"

Thanks!
-Pleco

 

[guppy12]

Nice pictures......

is he bloated?
what have u been feeding him?
What othermfish is in your tank with him?
Was their and sick fish in the pet store tank?


G12 8)

 

[imrandome1]

What other fish do you have, it sounds and looks like its getting picked on.

 

[Pleco]

Nice pictures......

is he bloated?
what have u been feeding him?
What othermfish is in your tank with him?
Was their and sick fish in the pet store tank?


G12 8)

No sick fish in the tank at the lfs, ive been feeding them the same bio something or other food made by marineland.

Some Beacon Tetras, a Australian Rainbow, another blue dwarf, and some Neon Tetras are its tanks mates.

From what i can tell it isnt getting picked on, at least not within my eye shot. I noticed last night when i turned off the light it tended to come out more. It is not bloated from what i can tell.

-Pleco

 

[Ky'smommy]

What size is your tank?
some male gouramis cant co exsist in a small tank together with out fighting. You many not have seen it.

 

[joannde]

It could be that the other blue dwarf harrasses him when he does try to come out. I've always found gouramis to be very territorial esp if they are both males (which they probably are). See if you can isolate the other blue dwarf in a breeder trap or the like and see if the other guy starts to come out. Isolating the possibly bully might also calm him down. Were they added at the same time or was the other one there first ?

 

[Pleco]

It could be that the other blue dwarf harrasses him when he does try to come out. I've always found gouramis to be very territorial esp if they are both males (which they probably are). See if you can isolate the other blue dwarf in a breeder trap or the like and see if the other guy starts to come out. Isolating the possibly bully might also calm him down. Were they added at the same time or was the other one there first ?

One was there before the other. The tank size is 40 Gallons, 2 dwarfs have plenty of space to call their own i would think. I took the one that has been there the longest out for half a day and it still seemed to prefer to be behind the plants. Seems it will come out at night whent he lights are out more but rests against the foilage otherwise.

I am kinda wondering if it was picked on at my lfs? This one was one of 4-8 that were left in the tank (i dont totally remember but there wasnt a whole lot of them). There were a few other fish in the tank of different kind but maybe it was picked on there and its carrying over to my tank?

I bought a submersible camera the other day, once it gets here ill be able to hook it up to my PC and check on my fish at any time (plus show family and friends from afar). I'm crazy i know.

-Pleco

 

[joannde]

I bought a submersible camera the other day, once it gets here ill be able to hook it up to my PC and check on my fish at any time (plus show family and friends from afar). I'm crazy i know.

I love it ! What a cool idea - I'll be you're going to be taking some awesome tank shots with that !

I don't know what else to suggest on the gourami. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

Best

 

[Pleco]

I bought a submersible camera the other day, once it gets here ill be able to hook it up to my PC and check on my fish at any time (plus show family and friends from afar). I'm crazy i know.

I love it ! What a cool idea - I'll be you're going to be taking some awesome tank shots with that !

I don't know what else to suggest on the gourami. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

Best

Ok well i got the submersible webcam and what everyone had been saying is well the truth. Not only did this Gourami fin nip till the one was unable to swim, but yesterday when i was out shopping it managed to fight with another till he died. So thats 2 gouramis down and the 1 agressive one left. At this point im not too sure what to do, I am a bit freaked that this fish will start nipping at other fish but i have heard taht Gourami tends to be territorial and aggresive with its own kind and not other fish? I am debating taking him to the LFS and seeing if i can find a less aggressive pair or just leaving him alone in the tank and hope that his aggression doesnt turn to other fish next.. I thought they were "community" fish.. jeesh

The camera is neat, but it wasnt fun watching my other 2 dwarf gourami get fin nipped by the remaining gourami.

-Pleco

 

[JustOneMore20]

Dwarf gourami males can't really coexist together IMO. Its very rare that you have more than one in a tank and they all get along. I've heard of them fighting in tanks as big as 55g...where you would think they had room.

I'd keep the one. Watch the camera and see if it messes with any of your other fish...chances are it will chill out now that its the only DG in the tank. I definitely wouldn't get another pair of DGs...even if you get lucky and find a female. If you can get females (not near as colorful as males, very rare in LFS), then get 2 and one male (or keep your male). I wouldn't try having 2 males because you will end up with another dead one.