Blue Gourami - lost one of his side "tenticles"?

[georgia]

Blue Gourami - one of blue gouramis has lost one of his side "tenticles"? will it survive?

How important are these? what are they used for? Im presuming its been nipped by one of my other fish!

3 guppies (males), 2 platys (a pair), 2 mollies (a pair)
1 Red Tailed shark
2 Coral Blue Gourami and 2 Red Honey Gourami
3 Corydoras (bronze)

 

[Raechal]

One of it's side fins or the two little feeler things that hang down? I don't know what they are called but I hope I make sense.

The two things long fins that hang down are like feelers. They feel for food and stuff like that I believe. I am not sure if they can survive with one or not. IMO I would think that they could survive with one. Sorry I haven't been much help but someone will be able to help you more than I could.

 

[sylvia]

The 'tentacles' are modified ventral fins that act as 'feelers'. They have taste cells on them and are very sensitive so the gouramies use them to explore their surroundings and also to literally taste their tank-mates and all objects within their environment.

If the fin has been completely removed, right from the base, the damage might be permanent. If there is still some left, it will re-grow. Though it may never be the same length again, this should not affect the fish. Having lost it permanently shouldn't be a problem either. The only thing to watch is that it does not become infected.

I should also warn you that, unless this is a pretty big tank, your gouramies might eventualy clash as this three-spot matures. Three-spots, though most particularly the males, can have nasty tempers and all the gouramies you have are territorial in the upper layers - which means they'll be competing for space.

As for who nipped the feeler, I'd immediately say the shark. Those fish can get pretty aggressive and are very territorial. It might pose a threat to your guppies once full grown. Another possibility is the mollies which I have known to be rather nippy compared to other livebearers. However, the shark is more likely. Unless this gourami is still small, I doubt any of the other gouramies are to blame and guppies and platies seem unlikely. It wasn't the cories.

 

[georgia]

Thanks, was so worried about this gourami....... We tried to do so much research and chat with local LFS to choose which fish and think have already made mistakes!! suppose learn by mistakes, but when the mistakes are alive! its slightly harder!!

was now planning to add some neon tetras, would like a final school of fish, not sure hwo many thoung

 

[sylvia]

How big is your tank?

With the fish you have at the moment, you need to have at least a 30 gallon (prefferably quite a bit more). Otherwise, you need to consider getting rid of some fish.

If your tank is at least 45 gallons, you may be able to include a small school of neons. Idealy, a very large group would be best for the fish but with limmited space, you should get about 6-8. Again, the shark might eventualy make a meal of them as it gets larger (as it may do the guppies).

 

[georgia]

125 litre (32.5 gallon) tank

 

[memnon]

this happened once with my blue gourami and it lost both of them but they grew back

memnon

 

[Lexie3787]

My gourami lost both of his feelers and they haven't grown back. He is doing completely fine without them.

 

[sylvia]

Whether or not they grow back depends on how far up they got cut. Anyway, I wouldn't add any more fish to your tank. You realy don't have the space.