Fighting!

[CPQ]

Hi, I've got a community tank and at the minute it's got, among other things, a kissing gourami, honey gourami, paradise fish and 3 spot gourami.
The paradise fish and 3 spot are definately females and I was sold the honey as a female but I'm not so sure. s/he isn't particularly bright (kind of a dull peachy colour) but over the last few weeks has become more aggressive and her dorsal fin is much more long and pointed than the female 3-spot's. AAAAAAnyway ... yesterday I noticed that the honey and kisisng gourami were properly going for each other. I don't know what sex the kisser is but think it's male (I've heard it's only the male that do the kissing thing!?). The kisser was almost sucking the face off the honey but when he let go the honey would chase him around and start nipping him too. I tried separating them with the net but they basically ignored me!

Anyway I was a bit upset (not v nice thing to see) and I'm convinced the honey doesn't stand a chance against the kisser so I moved the honey into the tank I've been cycling for my betta (been cycling over a week and checked all the water parameters before I moved the gourami in!) but now I'm not really sure what to do. Is it likely that the kissing gourami's been sucking on other fish? or is it probably just a male dominance thing!?
And also I don't know whether to keep the honey in the betta tank or try moving him back! I don't want to move him bakc only to have them start up again and one of them end up injured or dead or something!!

any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

Oh - and the betta tank in a 15 gal - so there's plenty of room for the honey (did'nt want you to think I'd just dumped the poor gourami in a bowl or something!)

 

[Biulu]

Maybe you can give us some more info on your tank size and layout, so we have a better picture of what we are talking about.

 

[CPQ]

its 4ft by 1ft by 16 inches. pretty heavily planted (all along the back and sides) but left a decent amount of swimming space across the front and middle of the tank. lots of hiding places (slate caves, bogwood, barnacles etc). All the other fish in there are not an issue (neon tetras, platys, a plec etc) I'm not sure what other info you want.... let me know if iv missed something you need.

The tank's well maintained - zero ammonia and nitrite, a ph of slightly over 7 and weekly water changes.

I just don't know whether it's going to be safe to put the honey back in at any point and whether the kisser's a threat to any of the other fish!?

 

[Biulu]

Ok, that makes around 40 gallons with 4 gouramis. That should be (just) ok. Normally we calculate 10 gallons/gourami.

Another reason for the kissing gourami going after the honey might be size. Is there a big difference in size between the honey and the kissing gourami?

 

[CPQ]

no. the honey's about 1.5 inches and the kisser about 2. but the honey goes after the kisser too!! confused!

 

[Biulu]

I would try to rearrange your tank, so the environment is new to all of them. Then put them all in at the same time, and see whether things calm down. If that doesn't work, then one of the 2 needs to go, I'm afraid.

I would in that case take the honey out, as it is the smallest and least agressive species of the ones you have, so more likely to get harrassed by the others later on.

 

[CPQ]

well I've moved the honey and he's currently in my smaller tank (set up for my betta). So it's probably best if i leave him in there permanently yea?

Sorry to ask yet another question - ut do you think it's just a male thing between these two or do you think the kisser might start going after the other gouramis now the honey's gone??

 

[Biulu]

All gouramis are territorial towards their own kind (whichever species), but they normally take on the one that is lowest in the pecking order so to say. I think you have less chances the kissing gourami will go after the other ones, as these are considered much tougher than the honey. Of course there are always exceptions, and you might have an extra agressive one, but normally you should be fine now.