Something is wrong with my gourami!

[kaidemarco]

My honey gourami is my favorite fish, and I just noticed today, he has seriously changed color in the front! He seems to be acting more aggressive as well, as he's usually very timid and I saw him chasing serpae tetras around. It's a ten gallon with serpae tetras and neon tetras, he is the only gourami. It's a planted aquarium, about 5 months old, he's been there since the beginning. I have never cleaned the gravel as I have a decent amount of it covered with monte carlo. All the other fish look fine. Within the last week I added two shrimp and used API aqua essential to adress a possible nitrite problem, but I now think maybe the test strips I was using were old and not good. I am buying more. Does anyone know what is happening to him?

 

[kaidemarco]

Ok I think he is just maturing! All good guys woohoo

 

[Andy Sager]

"Does anyone know what is happening to him?" Yes, he's going into breeding colors in the hopes of finding a female. Here's a pic of a natural honey gourami male and female. If yours is not a pure natural honey, it may get these colors but you can see on the male in the pic the same area turning dark/black.