Kissing pest!

[IanH]

I have a wee problem with my 2 Kissing Gouramis and need some advice please. Although difficult to sex, one om little kissers insists on chasing the other one around the tank and then rests. I'm pretty sure that one is male and the other female but it's always the same one giving the other one grief. They'll quite happily swim together for a while and then all hell breaks loose. Even if they are both the same sex, it still seems a bit odd. I have a 215 litre tank with 10 Harlequins, 4 Corys, 2 shrimp, 3 guppys and a Siamese and space wouldnt appear to be the issue. Any informed ideas would be welcome. Cheers.

Ian

 

[patoloco]

215 litres = ~55 US gl.

Sapce wise, there seem to be no issue. The problem is the gouramies attitude. The wrestling will not end until one or the other is taken apart. Those are agressive fish (the kissing name comes from their normal mouth wrestling behaviour).

Also, check the max size of those fish, They get 12" long, and in the long term they will outgrow your tank.

 

[IanH]

Cheers

Thanks for that. I know about the growth and tank size issue and have someone to pass them on to when its time. never having kept 'kissers' before, would a solitary fish cope on its own or does it need at least one of its own kind?
Thanks again.

 

[tanker]

Thanks for that. I know about the growth and tank size issue and have someone to pass them on to when its time. never having kept 'kissers' before, would a solitary fish cope on its own or does it need at least one of its own kind?
Thanks again.

Most Gouramis are not very social. They will do fine by themselves or with other non-gouramis.

 

[IanH]

Cheers Tanker,much appreciated.

 

[TKOS]

Agreed, gouramis, like bettas, do just fine all by themselves. They will probablly chase other tankmates a bit but nothing too drastic.