Aggressive Honey!

[UK_Dave]

I have 2 gourami's, 1 honey (female) and 1 blue colour, think its a pearl (Male)

The problem I have is the male seems to just sit up in the top corner of the tank, and doesnt move much, because everytime he does the female attacks him! Im talking mouth open, banging into him, chasing him, and generally trying to nip at him!

She has had a go at my angel, and sometimes chases the clown loaches!

Is this normal honey behaviour???

My male is calm and peaceful, and happily swims with the other fish, but with the honey, she just wants to attack the male at every opportunity!

Would it be better to get rid of her, and replace her with a female of the same type as the male? Or are they all as abusive as the honey?

added: In case anyone wants to know, and to save you the time asking...Water chemical levels are all fine, and its a 80 UK Gallon tank, well planted (fake ones) so they have places to hide or to get out of each others way, but yet she still wont leave him alone, its as if she hunts him!

 

[Joe97]

Usually Honeys are peaceble by nature, any how it would be best if you maybe got rid of her and bought a female pearl...
Good luck,
Joe

 

[Curiosity101]

Pearls aren't blue. If it's blue it could be a powder blue dwarf, opaline or three spot.

I recommend a picture of each fish if possible? As I've never met an agressive honey. I think it might be an immature gold gourami.

What size tank are they in? 360l?

 

[UK_Dave]

Im no good at converting...all I know is that its about 80l or so, 4ft x 2ft

 

[the duck]

I had the same problem in my tank, the "gold colored gourami" (as to avoid a debate of species) ended up killing one of my "blue" gouramis. I would seriously suggest getting rid of the "gold" gourami before you end up with a dead fish on your hands.

 

[UK_Dave]

Well, i have taken her out last night, it was the last straw after I saw her with one of his tenticle feeler things in her mouth and she was tugging on it! This was after she went into a little hide that he was in and chased him out....again!

So she is now in solitary for the time being till I pass her over to her new home

 

[Curiosity101]

I seriously doubt that your gold coloured gourami is a honey gourami.

Could you get a picture?

 

[UK_Dave]

Well as said, I only went on the info I found...I probably have it all wrong, but im still learning fish species at the moment

I have got some, tried to get them last night, they arent great quality but you can then hopefully see what the 2 I have are, and then let me know the real name, and I wont be guessing anymore!

I will upload them asap

 

[UK_Dave]

Sorted...This is my yellow female

And this is the poor blue 1 she was always picking on

As said, im not sure on the types of gourami...all I know is I wont be getting another like her if this is what they are like

 

[Essjay]

The yellow fish is definitely not a honey gourami. I have a pair of the yellow variety, and it's nothing like them. It looks to me like a gold gourami. I'm not even sure it's a female - but then I've never had gold gouramis, so I'm no expert on them.

 

[Curiosity101]

The yellow is a gold gourami, and at a guess I would say is male.

The blue is an opaline gourami and is most probably female judging by the picture.

With all that said this situation now makes alot more sense.
1. Males tend to be more dominant and territorial than females
2. All the gouramis, except honeys can be aggressive, but in varying degress.

It's odd, because if you tank is
4ft x 2ft x ?
Then whatever the ? is it should probably be big enough for these two fish to co-exist.
But there is a chance you either got a particularly nasty male, or that he is showing agression because he wanted to breed.

Eitherways here are some options...
1. Break up the line of sight along the tank. Put lots and lots of plants in (real or fake), lots of bits of bogwood etc (thin twigy pieces would be perfect). That way, not only can the female stay out of sight (not neccesarily hiding, but just not always being in his line of sight), but also the plants and wood can be used as a barrier for when he decides to chace her.
I've often found with my territorial male ram that he soon gives up the chace when the younger ram darts into plant cover.
2. Get a bigger tank, I don't think this would make a huge difference. But if you have the space and money to hand it'd be a nice excuse!
3. Remove him (I know you already have), and either re-locate or re-home. If you had space for another 200l+ tank then he could go in there and you could set that tank up around him. Or alternatively you can pass him on to someone else.

 

[UK_Dave]

I tried a few different ways of splitting the tank up using plants etc, but nothing worked, the gold one would hunt out the blue one and chase him/her round the tank...the yellow would even go into the hiding spots looking for the blue 1!

I have put the yellow into my old spare tank, its not huge, only 2ft but he is the only fish in there, and because I dont have enough space to put another decent sized tank in my place due to the reptiles and the 4ft tank i already have, I am going to rehome him as I cant keep allowing him to terrorise the poor blue gourami! The blue one just cant rest or do anything without the yellow beating her up! Even when she isnt doing anything, she then sits up in the top corner doing nothing, and looking real sorry for herself! And the other day when the yellow one was biting at the blue 1's feeler/tenticle thing, it was the last straw as I do not want to wake up to a half eaten, abused fish, its never a nice sight seeing them dead from just age, or toher reasons, but to be beaten to death would not look nice

 

[Curiosity101]

Re-homing does sound like the only option then. It's a shame, but it does happen from time to time.

 

[UK_Dave]

Im trying for a community style tank, and even I have learned that sometimes certain fish just tend to be a bit too aggressive, but as I see it, I wont know what they are like until I try...if it doesnt work out then I will arrange something else for the aggressive fish so its in the interests of the fish in question, and the fish I already own as I wouldnt want any of them to get harmed

I dont want the fish that I own to be hurt, or damaged in anyway, and if it means that I have lost a couple of £ on the new fish that attacks everything, then so be it...

I bought an Angel from a user on here the other day, I wasnt sure if it would get on with the angel I have but thought I would try, and the new 1 is like a puppy following the other angel I have around the tank, and all I got was a tiny bit of squabbling when i 1st put the new angel in, after that its all fine, think the angel I originally had was showing that he was the boss....not had any problems since and its been a week and a 1/2 since I bought the new one.

But back to the subject, not much else I can do for these 2 except split them up, shame as they are both beautiful looking fish, but I would prefer to keep the calmer of the 2 and that so happens to be the blue 1