Pearl Gourami

[santos]

Before I started researching the fish I purchased….
I bought a pair of pearl gourami’s…..
Not knowing that much the guy at the LFS sold me two females.
Just recently while at another fish store I found a male the same size as me two females. So I purchased it
The females were in the tank for about two months before adding the male. And he has been in for about a week. Now the male keeps the females in opposite corners of the tank. At the bottom of the tank
Will the male eventually settle down or do I have a nasty male.
The tank is a 35 US gallon planted and shared with two angelfish.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi santos

It's possible, but I don't think it likely that your pearl male will change.

The same thing happened to me. I accidentally bought 2 pearl females who grew up together and never caused any trouble. Then I bought a beautiful full grown male in hopes of breeding them, but as it turned out the females were too old. Now I am left with a bad tempered male who terrorized the females and 11 female 3 spots to the point where I banished him to a tank with only corys at the bottom. A male 3 spot has the same temperament and is also in a tank with corys. All the females get along and are kept together.

I've never seen an adult gourami change unless there was a bigger bully introduced into his tank, and I do not recommend this as a way to resolve your problem. Isolation or returning him to the lfs is the only thing you can do.

 

[sylvia]

I agree. Unfortunately, however peaceful pearls usualy are, when you get a mean adult fish, it's unlikely it'll ever change. You could try switching it with a younger male though. I have a male pearl who kills any other gourami placed in with him. I've had him since he was a baby though (I bred him) so I know he's just one of those nasty individuals. All his siblings are friendly and have lived together with other gouramies without problems. As for three-spots - all the males I have ever owned are nasty.