Gourami Dance?!

[noclueman]

Hello, I have a gourami in a 55 gallon tank (Opaline) and today I just added a second one (gold).

After an hour or so of the opaline chasing the gold nonstop I noticed they were both behind a rock together...thinking it was odd that the gold wasn't trying to get away I moved in to take a closer look.

At first I thought the opaline had the gold one trapped and was just attacking, but then a few seconds later they switched and the gold one was "attacking" the opaline.

I watched for about 5 minutes and this continued, they just took turns "sucking" on each other. It didn't look like they were doing any damage so I left them alone. They were both "sucking" each other at the same exact spot, which is just where the bottom and back fins meet about 1/2cm up the side of the fish.

Anyone care to explain what is going on?

Thanks a bunch,
noclueman

 

[GuppyDude]

gouramis dance around b4 mateing, its normal.

 

[juliethegr8t]

Noooo sir, that's not mating. That's some aggressive behavior that needs to be stopped. My dwarf gourami males used to do that before I finally had to separate them after bodily damage was done. Right now it might not be causing harm, but it will, I almost guarantee it.

 

[noclueman]

How do I tell if they are both males? (I am pretty sure they both are).

The opaline is a very bright blue with black spots/lines

The Gold is a bright orange with some white.

I thought females were basically grey, much less color.

 

[juliethegr8t]

As far as I've heard, you can't tell the difference between species with golds and opalines. I could be wrong. I think you're thinking of dwarfs, that is where the females are silver. Anyways, perhaps the males have brighter coloring. It does sound like the behavior with yours is definitely male though.

 

[Doggfather]

Look at the dorsal fins, the males should be pointed and the females should be round.

Keep a close eye on the fish, because they're showning sign of aggression. Hopefully it will stop as they adjust to each others company. If not, you will propably have to remove one of them in the end.

Be on the lookout for any adnormalties on the fish such as ulsars. Since the fish are attacking each others scales, infections could break out easily if scales are missing.

good luck