Dwarf Gourami Biting Guppy

[aaronus]

I bought a couple dwarf gouramis a week ago and put them in my 29 gallon tank with neon and gold tetras, corys, a blind cave fish, three pangasius, five guppies, two pygmy killies, and a couple chinese algae eaters. They're the blue with red vertical stripes variety. One of the gouramis swims around the tank like I'd expect, going back and forth and eating when I feed the fish. The other hides in a dark spot and stays there almost all the time, and never eats when I feed them.
The day after I added the gouramis, three of the guppies had a bite taken off the top of their caudals. It's been a few days and one of the guppies has another bite. I'm pretty sure the gourami that won't eat has been attacking the guppies, since before I added them there weren't any such attacks. Is there a way I can make the gourami less shy, eat, and leave my guppies alone, while still keeping all the fish in the tank?

 

[sylvia]

I doubt your gourami is at fault. However, if it is, I wouldn't blame it. Your tank is somewhat crowded by the sounds of it and gouramies don't like being crowded. You have 2 males - which makes matters worse as both will require territories. The 'shy' gourami is like this because he is stressed. You didn't mention how many of each you have but you sound somewhat over-stocked - certainly considering the pangasius cats, which are huge waste producers (and will eventualy out-grow your tank). The CAEs are also a worry. How big are they now? One of these would make a more likely culprit and the addition of new fish would be a likely trigger for unwanted, aggressive behaviour. I think it's time for you to re-consider your stocking and re-arange your fish a little. As things stand, the tank's a timebomb. Something is bound to eventualy go wrong and I suggest you try to prevent this from hapenning (or progressing). First of all, re-home the CAEs. The pangasius cats, if I remember correctly, have been ok in your tank so far according to you - but they still need a larger space regardless of how well they get along with their current tankmates. Keep in mind that the footprint of a standard 29 gallon is the same as that of a 20. For your catfish and CAEs, as well as for the gouramies, it is this footprint that is important. Also note that blind cave fish are schoolers, so should be in groups, but also known fin nippers - are you sure this isn't the fish that nipped the guppies?

 

[aaronus]

The CAEs, pangasius, and cave fish have never nipped my other fish. So unless the CAEs are stressed, which they don't seem to be, then the process of elimination and logic makes me blame the gouramis. I'll do what I can to move the gouramis...I think I'll have to send one back to a pet shop.
I used to have two cave fish, but years ago one died, and this one has been seemingly happy.
Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.

 

[Animation]

Gourami's do get viscious towards long tailed fish from what iv'e heard, my friends gouramis ripped of his siameese fighters fins and it resulted in death

 

[sylvia]

Bettas ARE gouramies.
Betta splendens, as most people are aware, don't like fish that look like them. As the 'gourami' and betta are closely related, it's to be expected that they'll not get along. It isn't the gourami's fault. It's the fault of the person who saught to mix these two entirely incompatible fish.
Also, 'gourami' is a very general term. Like I said, bettas are also gouramies. So are three-spots, pearls, osphronemus gouramies that get to 30", tiny sparkling gouramies, kissing gouramies, paradisefish, sensitive chocolate gouramies and all sorts of wild betta species. Saying that 'gouramies' get vicious towards long tailed fish' is redundant. You cannot generalise like this.
Dwarf gouramies (colisa lalia) do not nip long-tailed fish. They are only aggressive towards each other, occasionaly towards other gouramies and, only when defending a nest, males will chase away tankmates. If a dwarf in your tank realy is responsible for the nipping, there is something clearly very wrong with your set-up - probably over-crowding.
If your fish are getting nipped, it's because something is amiss in the tank. It is irrelevant who the perpetrator is under these circumstances as, if it was the dwarf that did the nipping, it's because your tank's over-crowded and, if it was someone else who did the nipping - whether triggered by the addition of a new fish or not - it's a sign your fish have reached a stage where they soon won't be getting along quite so well. (note, please, that if the new additions - ie: the dwarfs - had been nipped, it would be understandable and I would be drawing entirely different conclusions but, as it is, the afformentioned holds true IME) I appreciate you think your fish will be fine once you've extracted the dwarfs but, like I said before, the combination is a timebomb. They might all be fine to begin with but, eventualy, problems willa rise.
Good luck with your fish regardless

 

[aaronus]

Thanks Sylvia. I moved the gouramies. Hopefully that will help a tiny bit with the overcrowding. I'll keep a close watch on the situation. I just might need that luck!

On a slightly different subject...I sooo wish I had more room for fish tanks! Maybe I'll try to have my dad let me put some in the basement. I could build a 2x4 frame that would work, if we had room!