Dwarf Gourami Question

[dorifish]

I just got two male Dwarf Gouramis and one of them has his top fin held tightly against his spine while the other one is waving it around is the foremost sick or is the latter just dominant?

(I'm also new to this website, am i using it correctly ?)

 

[Keithoms]

Hi and welcome to TFF. Yes you are using it correctly

I have 2 males myself. When they prick up their dorsal fins (the top ones) its called flaring. They usually do it when angry, scared or are as you say, dominating over the other

 

[minxfishy]

It could be the other is showing his dominance and the 1st is being submissive, keep a close on eye on him and see if he can actually raise his fin or if he does actually have a problem.

Is this a new tank set up? If so, what size, has it been fully cycled and do you test the water regularly, dont think Im being nosy, its always these questions that get asked to rule out any problem there maybe with the tank/water etc in the case of a fish acting strangly.

 

[dorifish]

The tank setup is not really that new, it's 10 gallons and i check the pH every week or so and it is usually fine. I also regularly change out the water. the day after i posted here i called the place i got the gourami from because it was eating the other gourami's fins and four smaller fish (glow-light tetras) that i had just gotten (and had been very happy swimming around the tank with my pygmy catfishes) the day before were dead (the pH was fine and the pet store tested our water, nothing was wrong) i returned the aggressive fish. The other fish is fine now but is swimming back and forth in the front of the tank. he's eating and breathing normally but i think he might be lonely since it's just him, two small pygmy catfish and several tiny snails. Any fish you know of that would keep the Gourami company?

 

[Reesy1989]

You could try getting 2 female gouramis. The ratio must be atleast 1:2. Gouramis aren't that aggressive a fish. All mine have been extremly passive as well.

However was it only the dominant male that was attacking the tetras? IF so then maybe introduce more tetras or mollies.