Help !!! Gourami question

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1boatnut

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Oct 3, 2006
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I need some imput ASAP from THOSE IN THE KNOW !!!
About 2 weeks ago I purchased a Blue Dwarf Gourami. He seemed to be a very docile fish and got along well in my community tank. Today I purchased a Dwarf Gourami & a Fire Dwarf Gourami. I just put them in the tank and my Blue is literally ATTACKING the Dwarf. He is flaring his fins,bending his tail & nipping and chasing the dwarf ALL over the tank. He,for the most part has not harassed the Fire Dwarf too much. At the pet store the entire (little) tank is full with Male Gourami's who seem to get along.
I did alot of research and it appeared my choice (should) have been fine.

Anyne know if this behavior will subside or continue? I don't want the new guys to get hurt. The Neon Blue even gave a quick nudge to one of my Cory Cats. I assume it is now a territorial issue,but it is a 55 gallon tank so there are other places to stake claim to. It appears the Neon Blue wants to stake claim to the entire tank ?

HELP !!! Should I just keep an eye on them?
 

fish_freak

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Feb 15, 2002
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Gouramii's can be very territorial with others of there species. They tend to gang up and bully the weakest till it dies then move on to the next weakest till there is only one left. The reason that he is most likely going nuts right now is because he was left in the tank as the sole male gouramii for two weeks so its not that he needs the whole tank as his territory but scince he was alone he already claimed it and now these new guys are invadeing. Weather or not the bullying will subside will only be told with time. Keep an eye on them and of one gets two beat up then you will have to seperate them.
Im not a gouramii expert but I do belive that you should keep two to three females for each male to help with the agresion.
 

echoofformless

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Oct 1, 2005
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I wouldn't keep that setup.

Except for maybe flame or honey gouramis it's always best to keep only one in a tank, unless it's a very big and heavily planted tank.
 

Star_Rider

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Dec 21, 2005
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gouramis by nature can be territorial..particular to other male gouramis.

dwarfs are suppose to be more peaceful..but they are gouramis.

they may stop but the aggression may continue. bickering is pretty common for the species. it may get better. how big is the tank and how much cover do youhave.
 

1boatnut

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Oct 3, 2006
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star_rider said:
gouramis by nature can be territorial..particular to other male gouramis.

dwarfs are suppose to be more peaceful..but they are gouramis.

they may stop but the aggression may continue. bickering is pretty common for the species. it may get better. how big is the tank and how much cover do youhave.
The tank is a 55 gallon,and no real cover (if you mean like floating plants)I do have 1 real plant and 3 fake plants though.

Ok,here is what I DON"T understand. These fish come from tanks with NOTHING but males,and the tanks are maybe 10 gallons. If males CAN|T be together,how can they stay this way at the pet store?
 

jm1212

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Jul 22, 2006
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1boatnut said:
The tank is a 55 gallon,and no real cover (if you mean like floating plants)I do have 1 real plant and 3 fake plants though.

Ok,here is what I DON"T understand. These fish come from tanks with NOTHING but males,and the tanks are maybe 10 gallons. If males CAN|T be together,how can they stay this way at the pet store?
1) dwarf gouramis go so fast in the store that they do not get the chance to steak out territories and separate the weak fish from the strong (yes they do this)
2) there are so many of them that the agression is spread out enough so that they only are "nipping" at one another, and if you sit and watch the gourami tank you will see at least one male nip at another at least once.
the only truly peacful gouramis are pearl gouramis, and even honey gouramis can be terretorial of there are to many males in a tank
 

1boatnut

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So what do you recomend? Taking back the 2 gourmai's I just purchased?
 

Star_Rider

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probsbly best . you could try adding more structure driftwood with nore plants..a place where the others can hide..but you still need to watch for aggression.
 

dontburnthe_pig

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Nov 12, 2006
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my friend just added two gold gouramis and one of them nearly killed one his diamond tetras over a little rock formation after being in the tank for less than 25 minutes...very territorial
 
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