Gold gourami color intensity

[DrNo]

I posted this photo as part of my thread review testing of the Eco-bio block, but suspect it won't get widely seen there (Equipment/DIY).

Almost overnight, all 5 of my gold gourami in my tank have darkened and taken on a truly vibrant display of vertical bands, prominent fin speckling, intensified white edging, and an irridescent hue. Any gourami experts care to weight in on what be happening here? Breeding coloration? Please forgive the utterly lousy photographer....

 

[cmartin]

They are beautiful My Gold Gourami looked just like that when I got him.

I can't seem to get him to stop trying to beat up everything in site... including his own reflection in the glass - almost 24/7 ...

His only tank mate at the moment is an Angel fish. He pestered and chased the Angel until one night he got the 'stuffin' beat out of him... now there is a divider in the tank for his safety.

Are your Golds as crazy as mine or did I just happen to get a 'real nut case'?

 

[jm1212]

gold gouramis are known for being a bit more aggressive than other gouramis.


very nice coloration though.

 

[DrNo]

Thanks guys... mine have yet to fight their own reflection, but they are always chasing one another from one side of the tank to the other (125 gallons). When I received a total of 7 specimens ~3 months ago, they were 1.5 inches long. Now, they are 3 inches on average and the messiest fish on the block... without twice weekly gravel vacs I'd have a uniform field of gourami droppings 1/4 inch thick. I rehoused 2 of the 7 as I'm not sure the tank could stand that kind of bioload long-term. They are beautiful and have great personality, but I've never seen a fish rush to eat it's companion's excrement before either (as mine do) :screwy:

 

[DAVIDFBT]

I like the way that gourami looks, very vibrant. Maybe they're in the mood?

 

[gregjsmith]

This is the former occupant of my 80 gallon tank. He be came extremely aggressive and pretty much killed everything I put in the tank except the danios. Only good thing about him is he ate the algae off the glass.

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[zzyzx85]

Nice coloration going on there. I think they're showing breeding coloration when they darken up. Or maybe they're just happy. I see my dwarf gourami's colors become more vibrant once in a while. Kind of flares up.

Speaking of gouramis, mine is the bully in the tank. Chases and nips my tetras and push my corys around. Plus I saw it flush out and gobble up a RCS baby, which made me utter, "sonuvab*tch..." Constantly looking for food. But it has personality and it learned a new (somewhat annoying) trick: he can shoot water out of mouth like an archer fish. His distance is getting better.

 

[DrNo]

This is the former occupant of my 80 gallon tank. He be came extremely aggressive and pretty much killed everything I put in the tank except the danios. Only good thing about him is he ate the algae off the glass.

​

Great shot Greg! Looks eerily similar...

 

[DrNo]

Speaking of gouramis, mine is the bully in the tank. Chases and nips my tetras and push my corys around. Plus I saw it flush out and gobble up a RCS baby, which made me utter, "sonuvab*tch..." Constantly looking for food. But it has personality and it learned a new (somewhat annoying) trick: he can shoot water out of mouth like an archer fish. His distance is getting better.

Heh.... so many stories flushing out about gold's with agression and personality issues. I've heard of fish being trained to spray water on command out of the tank on cue (usually the opening of the tank lid) and in response to feeding time.... really interesting!

 

[zzyzx85]

They're fascinating fish. Just wished they weren't so aggressive and high strung. The water "stream" mine has is enough to clear the rim of the tank...which is about 1.25" above the top of the water. He's even gotten a few drops on the floor. Watch, one day I'm going to make a post about me peering into the tank and getting an eyeful of water/fish spit.