Dwarf Gourami Aggression

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ari_enchanted

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Jul 11, 2006
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(I'm really new to keeping aquariums so if this question certifies me as really dumb, feel free to tell me that point-blank.)

I just set up a 10g aquarium with three male dwarf gourami and a betta that my mom wanted. The people at the pet shop told me that this would be fine. Now I'm reading all over the internet that betta will fight with gourami and that male gourami are aggressive toward each other. I don't doubt that this is true in many cases and I'm going to get another 10 gallon tank so I can separate them if one becomes really mean, at least until I can do something better.
My question really is, how would aggression manifest itself? I've been watching them all closely and right now it seems like the betta is rather intimidated (maybe an aftereffect of having been in one of those tiny little containers for so long, I don't know). I'm not sure about the gourami. There's one that sometimes chases the other two around for a few seconds, but I haven't seen him nip at all. The thing that I have noticed is that all three extend those long, skinny fin-things they have and touch each other with them. I haven't found any explanation of what those are for. When the male who seems to be dominant touches the other two, they spook, but when they touch him neither fish seems to really care. There is one male who seems to be the most inferior, but seems to be fairly close to the less aggressive male.
In the pet store, there were something like 8 or 9 male gourami in a 5g tank, and none seemed to be exhibiting the behavior they are showing now. I've heard that if there are enough males in a small space they won't establish territory and fight. I've also heard that adding females will cut down on aggression. The tank I have is pretty new and probably couldn't handle the addition of more fish for a little while, and I don't know if 10g will ever be sufficient for the number of females to stop male aggression.
My tank has a pretty large amazon sword, some plants I'm not sure of on driftwood, and some floating plant that petco couldn't tell me the name of. It also had a couple of decorations, little Roman-looking things with colums, one with a cave thing. All the fish can get behind or in these decorations, and I've noticed that the betta has been hiding most of the time, and the two weaker gourami seem to go hide fairly often. When I fed them, they all came out except for the betta.
So, basically, I want to know if I should be worried about what I'm seeing, if you think maybe they might all get along, or if I shouldn't take the chance and get another tank right away.
Thanks.
 
Hi,
Well I happen to be a gourami fan myself. I had a couple of male dwarf in a 32gallon tank and I never saw them fight. Of course, they had more space and other roomates!! your 10g tank is definalty to small to keep 3 gouramis and a betta. I suggest you return 2 to the store and maybe get a female and an other tank, 5gal is ok to put your betta in. BUT remerber to cycle this new tank first.

How long has your 10g tank been running ? It it was not cycled, you may be in an amonia + nitrite peek. This may play on the aggressivity of your fish.
 
Yeah, I agree. 10 gallon is definately too small for all of those fish. I have 3 in a 120 gallon and they still fight. I had them in a 10 gallon for quarantine purposes for a few weeks. It took them some time to get used to the new tank, but the aggression became increasingly worse. In my 120 2 have set up territories and the third has become the less dominant male who kind of stays out of the way.

I would say 1 gourami in a 10 gallon is its maximum capacity. Make that fish store take 2 back! I hate that they told you this would be okay. Also, get a second tank for that betta. Eventually he will either get beat up or get sick due to stress. You could get some other fish for the Gourami tank, but I'd leave the Betta by himself. Because of his flowing fins they usually get picked on and chewed up by other fish. Like darli said, if you can find them, you could get 2-3 female Gouramis for the male in a 10 gallon and then the tank would be full. Of course then you might get some breeding, so think about what you would do with babies before you buy the females ;)
 
Gouramis are very territorial. I initially bought two males on advice of LFS. Horrible advice. They started fighting immediatly. I returned one of them. Bettas and gouramis are in the same family and they hate family. I would do what Lorazoo suggests and return 2 and seperate the betta.

If you can't try making territories in the tank. Break their line of sight with each other. Its gonna be near impossible in a 10 gallon tank.

Really try to bring them back. It will be much better for everyone.

Gouramis are great for cycling the tank, because they are labrinyth fish. That means they also get oxygen from the surface directly. My gourami cycled my tank fine.
 
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Thanks, guys. Unfortunately the store won't take any back, so I'm a bit stuck. I am moving the betta to his own tank since he seems so terrified. Right now the gourami seem to be getting along, so I'm going to try leaving them there until I can get another tank or a larger tank or something. Would it be a good idea to get a few smaller fish to go in with the gourami to sort of distract them from each other, since at the moment I don't have anywhere else (except an old goldfish bowl if one really gets mean) to put them? Or would that just cause more problems?
 
The best thing to do if keeping the 3 of them in the 10 gallon is to get lots of plants and decor to break up the line of sight and give lots of hiding places. They will try to establish territory and that is when they will fight. Every time you do a water change (should be weekly) move the plants and decor around - this may keep them from establishing territory since things will always be changing.
 
in my 55 gallon i have 4 gourami (2 blue, 1 gold, and 1 neon) 6 danios, 1 betta, 13 ghost shrimp, and 1 spotted pleco. I havnt seen any agression issues at all. Maybe I just got lucky.How does one sex gourami? Thay are beautiful fish and I would like to add a couple mosr gourami, but I think I am at capacity for them. Any suggestions?
 
yea, i have 2 paradise gouramis and i put a betta in, i think the betta liked the girl, bvut the 2 paradise were mating also , any way i went to sleep woke up the betta had no fins and dead, the male paradise pectoral fin chomped off and the females taikl a little ragged, the betta died, the male's fin is still messed up but now the female loosk to be dying for no reason, just siittin at the bottom or floatin at the top, ?? i have a 46 gall bow too boot
 
rwspear76 said:
in my 55 gallon i have 4 gourami (2 blue, 1 gold, and 1 neon) 6 danios, 1 betta, 13 ghost shrimp, and 1 spotted pleco. I havnt seen any agression issues at all. Maybe I just got lucky.How does one sex gourami? Thay are beautiful fish and I would like to add a couple mosr gourami, but I think I am at capacity for them. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...


i have a 46 bow with 2 gold, 2 pink kissing, i fire belly, and 2 paradise + many others http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=88320447
 
Another idea is to call around and see if any other fish stores would take them. There is usually someone who will. No, I wouldn't put any more fish in that tank. if you want to get a bigger tank, look for at least a 30 gallon. Follow what webcricket said, lots of things in there to break up sight lines between the fish and moving things around frequently so they won't establish territory. Once they do, they get very aggressive about gaurding it.
 
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