Gourami aggression

[cheesemaker]

hello everyone.

I've got 3 pearlies in my 45 G tank. The male is starting to chase the two females esp during feeding time.

My question is, why don't I see much aggression in LFS' tank? I mean they're jam packed with gouramis in the smallest possible tank, hardly see them fight?

does that mean we could add more gouramis, and their aggression would somehow fade?




what's your view on this?

 

[trisha1972]

Been wondering the same thing. I have three in a 55 gallon and want to add more. The problem is is that I can not definitely sex them and neither can my lfs.

 

[cheesemaker]

it's a bit difficult when they're young. I wasn't sure one of the females were indeed a female initially. It is clear that she is a 'she' now.

The male is starting to have laces on the caudal fins.... so no mistake there.

male has longer dorsal fin too.

 

[shuhu]

the easiest way to sex them (at least for me) is to check out their belly, if you can see a little rounded belly than its a female for sure, even when they are young. The problem with LFS is that since they have many it would be difficult to "catch" the right one.

 

[Mr Miagi]

I have 4 in a 30.

Alot of individual fish are different. The male wil naturally chase females, the problem is, in a confined space, it is alot more pronounced and it can lead to ill health or death.

There are several things you can do.

Add more cover, including live plants. Planted tanks look amazing, and gouramis especially LOVE having plants. This will leave the females with somewhere to hide. You can alternatuively add a floating plant of some variety. Duckweed is known as apest, but can be a nice addition IMO. Riccia is also a floating plant which will distract the male.

Theres not much else i can think of that you can do, except add another female to "spread the load" of bullying. You could also remove him back to the LFS for a smaller, younger male.

Hope that helped! Goodluck!