Territorial Dwarf Gouramis?

peterbiss

AC Members
Jan 5, 2010
32
0
0
Eugene, Oregon
I have an 80G planted community tank. I have a much beloved flame dwarf gourami in it with a bunch of tetras and other small fishies. I would like to add a bit of color and am considering adding a powder blue and a turquoise or neon blue. Would this be likely to stress my favorite fish out too much?
 
Adding new fish always stresses the fish out. In my experience with gouramis it can take a little while for things to settle down but after the figure out who's boss they'll settle down. I have a gold three spot gourami that's very dominant and when I added two new three spot gouramis it took a good week before she'd stop harassing them. They all get along just fine now.
 
In a planted 80 you might be ok. In my experience though my dwarf gourami were even territorial to other fish in the tank. I had 2 in my 29. Had to move one and then the remaining even started getting mean to my german blue ram, chasing him all over the place. So I gave him to my father in law who has a 90 planted with angels and rainbows and he chases the rainbows. Some fish are just jerks I guess.
 
dwarfs are pretty peaceful u should b fine.
i have 2 in a 75 and they nudge each other once in awhile..
they don't bother any other fish in my tank and its loaded with anabantoids...
But i believe the best way to deal with an already established individual who can be aggressive is to add 2 fish,maybe get a powderd blue and add him in there 2..
That way the tank boss has to chase 2 around,so splitting the bullying 50/50 and eventually hell get bored and exhausted of picking on them
 
AquariaCentral.com