Kissing Gourami Vs Severum

[GShorty1981]

Hi i bought these guys thinking they would be great in a larger community lol

I bought the Pink Kissing Gourami (Mick) for £10 last week he is 6" he has had the tank to himself for a week.

I bought the Gold Severum (Shaggy) today for £20 he is 5"

Since i put him in a hour ago the Gourami just will not leave him alone constantly smashing his mouth onto him and chasing him everywhere!,so i took the Kisser out and put him in a water change bucket for about 30 minutes,rearranged my fake plants and wood and put him back in with the lights off but still after seconds of being out of the tank he goes straight back after the Severum non stop

Any suggestions what to do?

I dont have anymore tanks and dont know anybody with a tank big enough to 'fish sit' him while my Severum establishes himself

I really really like them both and want to keep them together..is there anything i can do?,I dont have any ornaments in the tank and i tried putting a plant pot big enough for my little Sev in there for him but he doesent go in it.

My tank is 50 (4ftx16x18) gallons runing on a ehiem external and fluval 4 internal,looking to get a 5ftx2ftx2ft when we move.

 

[minxfishy]

Unless you plan to upgrade soon then I would say return the severum as the tank isnt big enough for him Im afraid. Kissing gourami are known to be pretty aggressive and territorial and he sees the tank as his, I doubt the bullyin will stop and will stress the severum. Also £20 for a 5" normal gold sev is alot of money.

 

[GShorty1981]

Thank you,the minimum size for a Severum as far as i know is 45 gallons but yeh we are moving in a few months and he is not going to grow much in that time.

I thought £20 was a good deal,they are usually £5.25 for fish that are 2" and £15 for 3.5" in all my LFS's and this guy was £20,i paid the extra so he was close to the Gouramis size,He is bigger than the Gourami deeper just not quite as long and the Severum is alot more muscular and has a bigger mouth..if you count his tail he is around 8"+

I have a Swortail (4") Blue Three Spot Gourami (6")and 5 x Tiger Barbs (3.5") and 5 x Black Widows (3.5") with them and the Gourami is not fussed by them at all,just the Severum.

I'm trying to buy the 5 or 6 footer now anyways and i'm going to keep it in my Garage till i move. When i get it I'm going to add a Firemouth and probably another simliar sized fish and a Plec to complete stocking

As I'm writing this they seem to have stopped bickering and are just swimming around with each other....do you think the Gourami thinks the Severum is another Gourami because of similar colour/Size/Shape?

 

[GShorty1981]

Agression has completley stopped now and they just seem to follow eachother everywhere without touching eachother almost like a pair...its weird

Just a moment ago they were asleep next to eachother side by side! ...I think there acually in love and were having a domestic! lol.

Hey guys you knwo i was talking about getting a 5 or 6 foot tank soon,I have a plan!!

I want to get a Albino Oscar (I'll get a Juvi) to go with these in the large community i talked about originally...How big of a tank would i need to house my Gourami,Severum and a Oscar with maybe a sailfin plec?