Paranoid Gourami

[Alex1110]

For the last 6 months I have kept 2 three spot gouramis, one yellow female and one blue male in my 50 gallon tank. Theres plenty of plants, albeit none on the surface.

The blue one looks very cool, and is much bigger than the yellow (biggest fish in the tank by a long way), but it is so paranoid! any movement from me near the tank, even if i just move my arm to scratch my head, he shoots off into the far corner. He is looking as good as ever.

Can you explain why he may be like this? I have only just noticed this in the last few days.

 

[sylvia]

Is your tank well-planted? They can get very nervous in sparsely planted tanks. Also, your temperature might be too high or your current too stong. It helps to have smallish schooling fish aorund such as checker barbs or praecox rainbowfish as well. Their presence assures the gouramies that it's safe to be out. Sturdy livebearers such as swordtails usually have the same effect.

Keep in mind that this species can become very aggressive and you may have to rethink your stocking down the line - pairs rarely work out.