New owner via inheritance.....and the giant gourami and Veil tail oscar aren't happy about it!

[Jezzario]

Hi everyone. First post for me and its a plea for advice! I've just saved a few fish from fish heaven after a friend moved and could no longer have them. Part of the bunch are a giant gourami and a VeIl tailed oscar. They have both been living in a 245 litre tank for the last 18 months, happily. However, after moving they are fighting with each their constantly. I've had to separate them with a barrier before one kills the other. I've done plenty of research so have acquired a basic understanding. Both are territorial and become more aggressive when space is confined. I feel I may have to sell one to alleviate the issue but as a last resort I thought I'd try the forum to see if anyone with more experience than me has any suggestions to stop the fighting and get them back to living more peacefully?
Thanks in advance!
Jeremy

 

[Retired Viking]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Hi Jeremy, if you could post a picture of the fish and tank. Also post your water test results and tank size and measurements. When you moved them did you try and put everything back where it was in the tank? Fish that are territorial are affected when new things are introduced in the tank or things are moved around.

 

[Jezzario]

Thanks for your reply. Image attached. Latest water test showed all fine apart from PH, which needs increasing. We have the PH Up solution which I've added some more of tonight. We were reading 6.0 when it should be 7.0. Their habitat has changed since they moved. That was 2 weeks ago......would changing it back now do any good you think?
Thanks!

 

[Retired Viking]

Those are big fish, you could try. When I had territorial fish I always tried to put things back the same way when I did a major tank cleaning like(cleaning out the under gravel filter) I did it right away. Not sure after two weeks if it would work. A separate tank for each may be the answer if they don't settle down. They are basically fighting over territory.

 

[Retired Viking]

They do make tank dividers but it looks like they do not have a lot of room in their half of the tank.

 

[Byron]

Thanks for your reply. Image attached. Latest water test showed all fine apart from PH, which needs increasing. We have the PH Up solution which I've added some more of tonight. We were reading 6.0 when it should be 7.0. Their habitat has changed since they moved. That was 2 weeks ago......would changing it back now do any good you think?
Thanks!

Do not use pH adjusting chemicals with fish in the tank. The pH does not stand alone, it is part of the GH and KH, and others factors such as CO2 also affect it.

Regardless of the above, both fish mentioned are soft water and that means an acidic pH (below 7). But never attempt pH adjustments on their own, this is highly dangerous for fish.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

I have a similar problem with 5 giant gourami and 1 giant cichlid - the cichlid has taken over 3/4ths of the tank. I dont' think there is a good solution other than get a much bigger tank.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

I've used PHup with great success - just add it sparingly and dilute it in about 5 gallons of water. If you get it to 6.5 be happy with that and leave it - you definitely don't want to make huge PH changes if you can help it. Don't be surprised if it goes down again a few points but don't aim for any dramatic change. Dilute, dilute dilute when adding. You never want to risk a fish getting a splash in the face of this full strength, I have no doubt it would kill him.

 

[Byron]

I've used PHup with great success - just add it sparingly and dilute it in about 5 gallons of water. If you get it to 6.5 be happy with that and leave it - you definitely don't want to make huge PH changes if you can help it. Don't be surprised if it goes down again a few points but don't aim for any dramatic change. Dilute, dilute dilute when adding. You never want to risk a fish getting a splash in the face of this full strength, I have no doubt it would kill him.

Jan, you have argued over this several times in other threads. Please, understand that this is not good for fish, period. Your latest thread recently was over so many fish deaths, and other members besides me pointed out that this continual use of toxic chemicals was largely behind the deaths. Fish simply cannot continue to function properly if they are continually being poisoned by all this stuff.

The reason the pH keeps adjusting when you use these products is because you cannot change pH without dealing with the GH and KH.

And in any case, a pH in the 6's is well suited to the fish mentioned.

 

[Retired Viking]

I will let the others battle over the ph, If putting back the tank the way it was does not work you may want to consider a second tank or checking with your LFS and see if they will take one,. Good luck

 

[Munroco]

Oscars need a very big tank giant gourami need a HUGE tank. I'd try to rehome them if I were you.

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

The fish were fine before they got moved because they had grown up together and each had it's space. When they were moved, they had to re-establish their territories and both fish want the entire tank now.

This is going to be a permanent problem and I would suggest selling the giant gourami because they can reach 2 foot in length and regularly hit 18 inches. They are also highly territorial and will kill other fish you put in their tank.

The Oscar is better suited to the tank it is in and could happily spend the rest of its life in there, without the gourami.

The gourami is still small enough to be able to move easily. And due to its final size, it would be the one to get rid of, unless you want a huge tank with a giant fish that bites the hand that feeds it.