Gbr Issue

Didge007 · Jul 5, 2011

I have two GBRs...a male and a female. I didn't pick them out of the tank...they all looked healthy in the tank at the lfs so basically let the guy pick them (was also in a rush :blush:

). Now a few months later I am not sure of my options. Basically, the male terrorises the female in the tank as she's not wanting to breed but he is. He and my dwarf gourami male (who is quiet grouchy) take each other on a fair bit. Neither are showing signs of stress but the poor little female would end up in the middle every so often. I was away for three nights and came back to the male very brightly coloured up, chasing the female and she had lost her colour due to stress. I shifted her into my tetra/cory tank this morning before work so I wasn't worrying about her and so far she's eaten and gotten some colour back (less then 24hrs). The male is still in with the gourami.

Basically what are my options? I don't want to take them back as they are very gorgeous fish and both have a tonne of personality. I am considering swapping the male for another female though, would this suit the fish? Or add another female to the tank? I am thinking of taking them both back but wanted to see what others thought.

KittyKat · Jul 5, 2011

What size is the tank? Water parameters? What is the decor? What do you feed them?

Basically, if you put a male and a female together you are unlikely to get a good pair. Sometimes, they'll pair up, other times (like for you), they won't. Swaping the male for another female or another male should work, but there is no guarantee that the old female will get on with the new fish. Apart from that, your best option is to put the female in the 60 litre and the male in the 80 litre, if the tanks allow it. Next best option is to keep both of them in the 80 litre with a divider between the two. Rams are a pairing fish, so getting another female will not work: either she will also be abused, or will team up with the male to abuse the old female.

If you really want a pair, the best way to get one is to buy 6 young fish and let them pair off, or pick a pair from the LFS tank which stick together.

Didge007 · Jul 5, 2011

The tank they were in together is a 2.5ft 80L tank. No idea on water parameters. Decor is plenty of wood pieces arrange so it's sort of piled on top of each other offering plenty of hidey holes along with plants. It's not heavily planted but there's plenty of hiding spots. The problem was the female would weave in and out of of the wood and plants but he'd just follow her so she couldn't get away long enough to hide. I feed them a mix of flakes, sinking/floating pellets (ok, they are more like crumbs than pellets lol) and bloodworms on the odd occasion.

Not fussed on a pair, I may have to take them both back. Female currently in the 60L and she seems stressed. Her colour hasn't come back real well. Again, decor is very similar to the 80L but downsized of course. Her tank mates at the moment are a zillion Neons (not literally lol), and four corys. She ate well last night. Should I just take them back? The guy at the LFS told me they'd be fine in either tank...I shifted them into the 80L when I read they need a minimum of 70L for a pair. Also thought she'd have room to escape him. Seems he's a little ratbag lol

KittyKat · Jul 5, 2011

They are picky about water parameters, so find out what yours are.

60 or 80 litres is fine for a pair, the problem is, you do not have a pair: you have two fish of the same species.

Didge007 · Jul 6, 2011

Very good point, will have to take them back I think.

Thanks for your help

ez_101 · Jul 6, 2011

Sand substrate, temp set to 29c, brine shrimp = winning IMO

Didge007 · Jul 7, 2011

Female not gaining much colour, she didn't eat much tonight either (not that the stinking neons gave her a chance). She had more colour when she was in with the male...should I pop her back in there?

I really want sand substrate but the guy at my lfs said it'll stuff my filter...HOB? I thought that was odd actually.

ez_101 · Jul 7, 2011

Donkey that told you that, sand will settle to the floor won't effect your filter!

What you feeding them? What the temp at?

Didge007 · Jul 7, 2011

That's what I thought. I will change it one day but at the moment its just not happening.

Temp is 27-28 and I feed some sort of sinking floating pellet mix, flakes, bloodworms once a week & algae wafers a few times a week for the corys or khulis. The rams have a pick at them as well.

ez_101 · Jul 7, 2011

I feed all 6 of mine pellet and brine shrimp, then blood worms every few days... They also like abit of flake!

Try feeding brine shrimp they go mad for it!

They do like picking at the bottom and sand would benefit them massively!!

I would get 2femakes and a male in the tank if I was you, just my opinion though.

Good luck

KittyKat · Jul 8, 2011

ez_101 said:
I would get 2femakes and a male in the tank if I was you, just my opinion though.

They are normally a pairing fish which live in family groups. In a harem configuration, one female will probably get very harassed, in a tank that small, if the other two breed. It may work if all three fish are siblings, but it's not worth trying with unrelated fish and a small tank.