opaline gourami

[Terrorbyte]

My first batch of tropical fish that I purchased included 2 opaline gouramis (about a month after setting up the tank, etc.), maybe 8 or 9 fish total in a 40 gallon tank. In addition to starting things off with the opaline gouramis, I added a couple of leopard cats, a few tetras, and a couple of red tailed sharks. After the fish had settled in the tank for a couple of weeks, the gouramis became real aggressive toward one another (both appear to be males according to what I've read about sexing gouramis); one constantly chased the other around the tank. I wound up separating one of the gouramis and placed it in another 10-gallon tropical fish tank. The gourami in the 10 gallon tank seems to be living peacefully with the other fish (a few tetras and tiny gold ram cichlids in the 10 gallon tank). However, the gourami in the 40 gallon is a completely different story.

Since separating the gouramis, I've added several additional fish to the 40 gallon tank -- these include 4 angelfish and a few dwarf gouramis. The opaline gourami now chases and bullies everything -- he's especially aggressive when the fish tank light is on, during feeding (fish are fed adequately, several times per day); and I believe he's responsible for killing off a couple of angelfish and possibly a flower shrimp that I added awhile back. I've seen him cunningly sneak up on other fish to nip their fins and charge at their sides, in addition to just rampantly chasing the other fish around the tank (the only fish he leaves alone are the catfish and red tailed sharks, mainly because they hide). I've had to quarantine the SOB in one of those "specimen holders" that hang over the rim of the tank just to calm things down in the tank.

What's the best way to handle this situation? Is this behavior typical of male opaline gouramis? Most "sources" say that opaline gouramis are semi-aggressive within their own species, but the word is that gouramis coexist well with other tank mates (this hasn't been the case in my experience). Will he eventually calm down or will he need to go? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Mr Miagi]

I had 5 together, but know have 4 together (one died, but dont really know why)

Opaline gouramis should be a reasonably peaceful fish. A proper ration of males to female sshould be around 1 male to 2-3 females. So aggresion is spread, but i think your tank has enough al ready. You could sell him or give him back to your lfs if things dont get better (they seldom do).

As for your other tank mates, no ofence, but a 40gallon is way too smal for even two red tail black sharks. One would be fine, but two too many!

Anyways, goodluck, Benny

 

[sylvia]

Opalines are the worst smallish gouramies when it comes to aggression. Males, particularly, can bully anything they can catch. Some are reasonably alright in a tank with plenty of cover and lots of fast little fish but the aggression of your male in the 40 gallon does not surprise me at all. Putting them with relatively slow-moving, long-finned fish like angels is asking for trouble if you have no other distractions (other - female - opalines). Putting them in with smaller gouramies can also be risky. I would suggest removing him but first try adding some floating plants, if you don't have any already, to encourage him to set up a territory in one particular area. The other fish would hopefuly catch on and not intrude as often. Don't add any more fish to your tank either and I'll warn you that the RTBSs will probably kill each other once they reach full size. I'd only suggest keeping one of these to every 55 gallons (1 in a 40 is fine though) or majorly over-crowding to keep aggression devided.

 

[Terrorbyte]

Thanks for the all of the info -- the red-tailed black sharks are about 7 or 8 months old now and seem to be doing fine; I don't notice much aggression between the 2 sharks. They don't go at each other and seem to coexist in the same tank quite well. The only problem is the opaline gourami -- he gets especially aggressive during feeding until I turn the light off, then he calms down considerably. He seems to leave the dwarf gouramis alone as they are much faster swimmers and can easily get away when they need to. Most of the tetras can out-swim him as well, and the Angelfish seem more agile, so they can usually steer clear from fin nipping, but every now and again the opaline can get a hold of them.

The 40 gallon tank is well filtered and very well aerated (1 fluval 304, and a 50+ gallon power filter); I change the water weekly (about 10-20% change each week), and I keep the water temp at around 80 degrees F. Most of the fish in the tank are tetras and are quite small. The largest fish are the 2 leopard cats and the opaline gourami. The tank certainly does not appear to be crowded, even if the amount of fish in the tank seems too high.

 

[Dwarfs]

If the gourami gets too aggressive your only choice may be to remove him from that tank I have a male opaline/blue gourami, he whoops my rainbow cichlids if they try to fight him

 

[Terrorbyte]

Just thought I'd post a picture of the culprit "opaline" gourami here...

He may look innocent, but he's a real SOB...

 

[Mr Miagi]

Ummmmmm, sorry to break this to you but that isnt a pearl gourami.

- http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anab...s/pearlgour.php (Pearl gourami)

- http/www.elmersaquarium.com/10gouramis_blue.htm (Blue gourami)

Your fish is a gold gourami but a blue variety.

 

[Terrorbyte]

Ummmmmm, sorry to break this to you but that isnt a pearl gourami.

- http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anab...s/pearlgour.php (Pearl gourami)

- http/www.elmersaquarium.com/10gouramis_blue.htm (Blue gourami)

Your fish is a gold gourami but a blue variety.

Never said it was a "pearl" gourami, it's an opaline. The photo might be a bit deceiving due to the flash reflecting from the fish, but you should notice the blue and white coloring consistent with that of an opaline gourami. Opaline and pearl gouramis are entirely different, no relation (as far as I know). Gold gouramis and opaline gouramis are entirely related, even says so in the link you provided (2nd link). So, "gold gourami of a blue variety" is an opaline gourami, exactly as stated in the thread. Don't know where you were confused about any claims or references to a "pearl" gourami in this thread -- see thread title.

 

[Terrorbyte]

Opalines are the worst smallish gouramies when it comes to aggression. Males, particularly, can bully anything they can catch. Some are reasonably alright in a tank with plenty of cover and lots of fast little fish but the aggression of your male in the 40 gallon does not surprise me at all. Putting them with relatively slow-moving, long-finned fish like angels is asking for trouble if you have no other distractions (other - female - opalines). Putting them in with smaller gouramies can also be risky. I would suggest removing him but first try adding some floating plants, if you don't have any already, to encourage him to set up a territory in one particular area. The other fish would hopefuly catch on and not intrude as often. Don't add any more fish to your tank either and I'll warn you that the RTBSs will probably kill each other once they reach full size. I'd only suggest keeping one of these to every 55 gallons (1 in a 40 is fine though) or majorly over-crowding to keep aggression devided.

Sylvia:

Thanks for the advice -- I've added a couple of free-floating plants to the tank and the opaline has already calmed down quite a bit, even during feeding periods when the light is on. The dwarf gouramis have already "claimed" the larger plant as their territory and the opaline seems to have set up the other plant as his territory, so he leaves most of the fish alone now. We'll see what happens after a few more days...

 

[Dwarfs]

Ummmmmm, sorry to break this to you but that isnt a pearl gourami.

- http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anab...s/pearlgour.php (Pearl gourami)

- http/www.elmersaquarium.com/10gouramis_blue.htm (Blue gourami)

Your fish is a gold gourami but a blue variety.

The gold gourami is a variant of the three spot gourami

 

[Mr Miagi]

Opaline Gourami= Pearl Gourami in aus, so SORRy......geez.

 

[sylvia]

I'm just curious - are opalines called pearls or pearls opalines? What is the other one called then? Do you call pearls lace or leeri gouramies and opalines blue or three-spot gouramies or what?

 

[Matty]

I'm having the same problem too...my orange opeline gourami chases my blue one all the time...especially during feeding or when the light's on....a floating plant solved the problem for you?

 

[Terrorbyte]

I'm having the same problem too...my orange opeline gourami chases my blue one all the time...especially during feeding or when the light's on....a floating plant solved the problem for you?

Well, yes and no. My opaline still occasionally chases the other fish, just not as often (prior to adding the plants).

I added a few floating plants to the tank which allow the fish (chased by the opaline, which includes virtually all of my fish) to take refuge in the plants. The opaline will generally not chase any of the fish hiding in the plants. Additionally, adding plants is like "feng shui" for a fish tank; fortunately fish have virtually no brains and think they're in completely different territory just based on rearranging objects in the tank or adding plants. The plants will allow the gourami to establish new territory and the other fish will learn to stay out, or be chased. Sometimes a simple-minded approach is your best bet.