Bully Three-spot

[mireelmar]

I have a very aggressive three-spot gourami and had to get a 10gal just to get him away from all of my other fish. He was attacking my gold gourami almost to the point of her death so I got him out as soon as I could. Now he's all alone in his 10gal, with the exception of a very tiny plecostomus and a mystery snail. I kind of feel like he needs some tankmates as his personality has changed drastically since I moved him (which was 5 days ago) I know that he could still just be adjusting, but I think he's lonely. He's a big fatty too, so i don't know what to put in there. I thought about some African Dwarf Frogs but I wasn't sure, any suggestions.
Here's a pic of him, got any ideas for a name as well?

 

[rob newland]

Yah three spots can be evil, I took mine back because it hated my keyhole cihlids - I was sad to do so because it was a great fish, but it was either them, or it - so it went.
I wouldn't house a 3-spot in a 10g (at least not for long), maybe it can be done fine, but the rate mine grew I wouldn't want to. Maybe try another three spot with it...
Rob

 

[Rhiannon]

Wow he is absolutley beautiful.

How big do they grow?

 

[sylvia]

That's a female (which is also why she is particularly fat no doubt ).

They grow to 6".

BTW, it's no surprise that she attacked your gold. Gold is one color morph of the three-spot gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus). The one in the pic is the 'opaline' color morph. They don't usually like each other much and are especialy aggressive if kept in twos as the dominant one constantly bullies the other.

You cannot keep this fish in a 10 gallon. It is incredibly unfair on it (and the plec probably shouldn't be in there either).

What size is your main tank? If it's relatively large (ie at least 40 gallons) and not overstocked (what else is in it?) you should get 2 more FEMALE three-spots, the same size as the two you already own (color is irrelevant so any of blue, gold, platinum, lavender or opaline would be fine) and so increase their number to 4. With that many you should not have any significant aggression as it'll be spread out amongst them. Avoid males.

If you don;t have room for more, return one of them or else buy yourself a new tank

 

[mireelmar]

Well my goodness! I never knew that she was going to get that big! My main tank is only 20gal so I guess she will have to go back to the fish store and I'll just stock my new 10 gal with some mollies or something.

I never planned on keeping the pleco in there I just wanted him in there for a little while so that I would have some sort of algae eater.

I plan on getting a bigger tank once I move, but I'm not sure when that is going to be...

I'll figure something out, hahah.

 

[sylvia]

Well it would be a good idea to research any fish you are going to buy in future. You, unfortunately, can't really depend on LFS advice

BTW, mollies aren't ideal for a 10 gallon either. Most of those sold at LFS are hybrids with sailfin mollies and females can grow to 4" at least.