Gouramis acting strange

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DarkRealm

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Dec 8, 2002
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I have this gourami that lets other fix sorta attack his side all the time, he will even float on his side (sorta) and let them push him. and a few seconds after this he turns upright and then swims after that fish (might be another Gourami, or some other type of fish).

I would like to know if there is any concern here (such as a disease on the gourami or such ( have not noticed anything unusual on the gourami) ?

This only recently started happening, and I just want to make sure nothing is wrong.

Thank you for your advise as always
 

brackishwannbe

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What other fish do you have in the tank? I recently lost a male gourami after adding a pair of sailfins, but I always thought that the male betta had caused the death, because he had wounds. Then, I went to the LFS today and saw a tank full of gouramis and mollies. One of the mollies would constantly bite the gouramis in the side and the gouramis would not swim away and just let the ol' molly take nibbles. My sailfins are going into a breeder very shortly. Hope this helps.
 

DarkRealm

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I have some kissing gourami, this is what is doing that, I have a white molly and it does it to the gourami as well. the other fish that I have dont seem to bother it, just these 2.. you think it could be nibbling at it and this could result in something bad happening, I dont want to get up one morning and see this gourami floating.
 

brackishwannbe

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I'd suggest putting the molly in another tank, since that seems to be the one doing the damage, or give the fish to someone else if you don't a second tank. I've now formed the opinoin that mollies and gouramis are not social fish towards each other. Mabye other people have had better luck, but I'm 3 for 3 on antisocial factor of the two fish, so i won't be putting them together again. Yea, you better move the molly or like you said, I'd hate to wake up in the morning and see a floating gourami.
 

DarkRealm

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ok, but why would the kissing gourami be doing the same thing to the other gourami that the molly is doing.. should I just move the gourami that is getting nibbled, becuase I dont think he will be able to take much more of it, or are they just after him as a bully syndrome type thing.
 

brackishwannbe

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opps, sorry. :D

I read the first part wrong. I thought the kissing gourami and the one getting nibbled was the same fish. Yes, move the 'got nibbled' one into a different tank and then continue to watch the rest of the fish to make sure there is no more bullying.
 

pinballqueen

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Gouramis will usually fight by biting at each other's faces (hence the term "kissing fish"). However, they will take jabs at the sides of fish. It's just a power play, but if one of them is getting beaten up pretty badly, I'd move it out of the tank. I had a pair of blues that would do the same thing, and the blood parrots would attack the submissive fish as well. They never actually hurt each other, though, so I left everyone together to sort out a pecking order. Pretty soon they left each other alone for the most part, only displaying aggression when territories were breached.

Hope this helps!
 

rockhead44

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Dec 10, 2001
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Sounds like the breeding ritual.My gouramis use to do this all the time.Things can get rough,keep an eye on them.Maybe there is some kind of stimulation going on.Or like pinballqueen stated that they are doing the pecking order thing.Sometimes fish are all peaceful and then one day they are not.Thats life.Good luck with them.
 
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