Dwarf gourami choking

[Chen jing kai]

Hi. My dwarf gourami seems like it wants to spit out something after nibbling at a floating plant. He swims haltingly. How do I help it. It has currently stopped but I would like to know what it is doing. Thanks.

 

[itiwhetu]

Can you put up a photo of your tank and the fish, cheers

 

[Chen jing kai]

The one that was choking was also the red one and keeps bullying the blue guy. So I don’t know if it also choking because he swallows the blue guy’s fins? Thanks so much for replying.

 

[itiwhetu]

Is the blue fish a male or female.

 

[Chen jing kai]

Is the blue fish a male or female.

Looks female because duller in colour.

 

[itiwhetu]

They both look healthy enough. I would just keep an eye on those two. He looks interested in her.

 

[itiwhetu]

Your tank set up looks fine to me.

 

[Chen jing kai]

They both look healthy enough. I would just keep an eye on those two. He looks interested in her.

Oh ok thanks for the advice. So it is normal for the male to bite the female’s fins?

 

[itiwhetu]

Oh ok thanks for the advice. So it is normal for the male to bite the female’s fins?

That is pre spawning behavior, get worried if he starts to chase her in to a corner of the tank. As long as she stands her ground all is fine.

 

[Chen jing kai]

That is pre spawning behavior, get worried if he starts to chase her in to a corner of the tank. As long as she stands her ground all is fine.

Oh ok thank you. But would they be able to breed? I am curious now too lol.

 

[itiwhetu]

Male and female dwarf gourami, yep they will breed. You have enough surface plant for them to build a nest. Just wait and see.

 

[Chen jing kai]

Male and female dwarf gourami, yep they will breed. You have enough surface plant for them to build a nest. Just wait and see.

Ok thanks

 

[Essjay]

In your other thread, we have commented that the blue gourami is a male of the powder blue variant.

Gender of this dwarf gourami?

After seeing some images online I am confused with whether it really is a female.

www.fishforums.net

You have 2 males and one will bully the other - in this case the red one is bullying the blue. They need to separated asap or the blue one will become very stressed and could get sick or die from the stress. He is already showing fin damage from where the red one is bitting his fins.

 

[Chen jing kai]

In your other thread, we have commented that the blue gourami is a male of the powder blue variant.

Gender of this dwarf gourami?

After seeing some images online I am confused with whether it really is a female.

www.fishforums.net

You have 2 males and one will bully the other - in this case the red one is bullying the blue. They need to separated asap or the blue one will become very stressed and could get sick or die from the stress. He is already showing fin damage from where the red one is bitting his fins.

Ok thanks. What if I put it in a breeder cage to wait for its fins to regrow and for it to also grow bigger and around the same size as the other one? Will it work

 

[Essjay]

Keeping two males is not an option unless the tank is huge and very well planted.

Fish show aggression in two ways - attacking another fish physically, biting them etc; and by secreting aggression hormones which we can't see. Even in a breeder cage inside the tank, those chemical signals will still reach the fish inside the cage and stress it.
The only option you have is to rehome one of them and keep whichever one you prefer. The blue one will heal once it is not in the same tank as the red one if you prefer the blue.

If you do rehome one and get a female there could still be problems. Male dwarfs have been known to kill a female when he wanted to mate and she didn't.