Bully Dwarf Gourami

[Hound]

Ok so a couple of weeks ago I found a dead juvenile peppered cory in my 10g lightly planted aquarium. The aquarium only had a dwarf gourami and 3 juvenile peppered cories and had been set up and going for about a month at that time. Water testing showed ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 15ppm. Sadly by the time I saw the dead cory it had been beat up pretty badly and I couldn't tell right off why it died. Now this morning when I walked into the office I see the dwarf gourami pummeling one of the two remaining cories. Pulled both cories out, but the one being picked on didn't make it. When I found it he was already missing his tail and just didn't make it while in quarintine. The other cory is now in my 50g planted aquarium.

All that being said I don't recall ever hearing about a dwarf gourami beating cories to death. I'd really like something else in the aquarium besides the dwarf gourami, but now I'm not so sure. Anyone have a suggestion as to what I may stock in a 10g aquarium containing a dwarf gourami with attitude?

 

[number1sixerfan]

He wont mess with rasboras or danios. They usually don't mess with cories. In my experience, Dwarfs only harass other tank mates that are close in size. My red fire dwarf killed another dwarf but got along didnt even notice the rasboras...not even when feeding. Good Luck.

 

[sarcare]

My dwarf gourami is alone in a 55g with five bronze corys. It is temp while the rest of the fish are in qt. But sometimes the d. gourami will pick on the corys--he sort of schools with them, but if they don't move off from where he is picking through the gravel he'll nip at them. The tank is heavily planted, and the corys have their little home in a wood stump, so no damage has been done.

I would agree that the d. gourami would do well with fast moving schooling fish like rasboras.

 

[Hound]

The bugger actually turned himself sideways and chased the cory out from under some driftwood. I've just never heard of a dwarf gourami acting that aggressive. I was thinking of trying some black phantom tetra with him, but if he's going to go off on them also I'd rather not go through it.

 

[Lorazoo]

sounds like you have a meanie. I have an angel who is the same way. i just cant seem to keep her with anything. right now i am trying to decide what to do with her myself. i hate having a big tank with just her in it. the problem is if you get a fish taht is more aggressive they may pick on the gourami. i would leave it alone and just have it by itself and not take any chances.

 

[Web Gazelle]

I would just like to caution you towards fast moving fish like Rasboras. I had a Dwarf Gorami that didn't fair well with my Harlequins. He became shy and strated to hide all the time then after not eating for awhile he died. I think that the active fish for tankmates may have been what caused him to hide all the time. Thats just my 2 cents.

 

[budrecki]

If you cannot move the gourami to another tank, try adding more plants. Braking up the line of sight with tall plants, floaters, and wide leafed plants the corys can sit under may help.