Gold Gourami's Not Working....urgent Advice Needed...tolek, Read T

[confused mermaid]

Ok, so I completed my stock in my 46 gallon with a male and female gold gourami. For anyone reading that hasn't read my previous drama, I obsessed and lamented for a month on what final fish would be a little bigger (5 or 6 in mature) and get on well with my male betta that lives happily in my tank. The female gourami is fine. The male has been chasing around the betta from time to time. I haven't seen any contact or fin nipping. But my betta doesn't swim around all day freely like he used to either. He hides in the plants a lot now. The gouramis are about half grown I believe. So I figure my choices are

1. Wait to see what happens

2. Take only the male gourami back and get a different one to see if he's less abrasive. I noticed my fish are always happier if they have more of their kind.

3. Take them both back and get two different fish all together. I was thinking since everything seems to be a gamble anyway, if I take them both back I might as well try angels like I wanted. Maybe if I get the really small ones they will be used to the betta and not pick on him when they grow? Tolek?


I can tell you that the betta is not the instigator. He is very mellow and I have never seen him go after any of the community fish. I refuse to take him out and put him in a smaller tank by himself as he loves the big tank and seems happy with his other tankmates. He and the female gold gourami swim right next to each other no problem.

I would like to figure out what to do today...so any and all opinions/advice would be appreciated. If anyone has any other fish suggestions (4-6 in..would like a little color) please spill that too.

Thanks!!!!!

 

[meguro]

Try adding a second female gold gourami, maybe that will help distract the male gourami from the betta.

 

[matchstickman47]

bettas are best kept alone, only mixed with cories or ottos

 

[Curiosity101]

Gouramis and Bettas are both anabantoids and therefore generally don't get on as they like to have the same territory. I'd have thought there was enough room in a 46 gallon for them to co-exist, but apparently not in your case.

I think have 3 choices:

Keep trying to find a male gold gourami that will live alongside the betta

Or rehome the betta into a separate 5gal

Or (And this would be my personal choice), choose a new centrepiece fish.

 

[confused mermaid]

bettas are best kept alone, only mixed with cories or ottos

Normally I would agree with you. But I have had a couple of bettas now that have lived a long happy life in a community tank because they had docile personalities. I have my current betta in with dwarf gouramis and USD fish, tetras and ghost cats and they all get along fine. In fact, when I had him seperate for a while he seemed very unhappy and stressed. He loves hanging out with the dwarf gouramis. That's why as far as new fish, they have to get along with him or they go back.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Everyones Different I Guess..I Have A Male Betta In One Of My Community Tanks & He Lives Alongside 2male Dwarf Gourami's, Amoungst Others. Although I Know That The Gouramis And Dwarfs Seem to Have Different Personalities.

 

[confused mermaid]

Anyone got a 4 to 6 inch peaceful fish that I haven't thought of yet?

 

[afishdude]

As funny as it sounds, the gourmai thinks the beta is another male gourami and he is fighting it for dominance.

 

[matchstickman47]

As funny as it sounds, the gourmai thinks the beta is another male gourami and he is fighting it for dominance.

doesnt sound funny atall, both are labarynth fishes

 

[confused mermaid]

As funny as it sounds, the gourmai thinks the beta is another male gourami and he is fighting it for dominance.

doesnt sound funny atall, both are labarynth fishes

Not a very funny experience either...

 

[mixmaster jay]

gourami's and bettas don't mix very well at all (as ive found out myself more than once) you might get the odd t8ime they are ok but in my exp they dont,the gourami will eventually kill it one way or another