Sal The Gold Gourami Not Happy

[Briarmoor]

I hoped Sal, the gold gourami, would like her new home in the 55g, but alas, I think not. And her tank mates don't like her.

The opaline chases her, Sal chases the Pearls, then the opaline chases her when she chases the Pearls. It has come to basically a divided tank. The Pearls hide on one end by the tree stump decoration and Sal hides in the log decoration on the other side or next to it if the pleco is in it. The opaline swims around, but mostly stays over by the Pearls. It is a very boring tank now with no one but tetras swimming around. Even the pleco hides more.

I need to buy another tank and move Sal out. She is not the happy gourami she was in the 20g. On the other hand, the giant gouramis and corys and neons thank me for their peaceful 20g tank where no one chases anyone else and life is good.

My husband doesn't think Sal will be happy in a tank by herself. What do you guys think? Minimum tank size and possible tank mates? Thanks for you suggestions.

 

[Ethos]

Well, for a gold gourami I know your looking at atleast a 20G. Even though she'll be by herself, she needs the room to 'breath.'
I had a Gold, Opaline, and a Pearl in the same tank together once...The Gold ruled the tank, even though he was added last. This just proves how sometimes fish are really just unpredictable.

 

[sylvia]

Too bad it didn't work out... How do all the gouramies compare in size? I'm not realy surprised the pearls are getting chased though. Sometimes they'll get along with female three-spots because they three-spots distract each other but, in your case, it sounds like the three-spots are obviously not getting along... However, if you were to take out both three-spots and re-introduce them later to a re-aranged tank, they may work things out (provided they are the same size). You could at least try it and see.

Anyway, a 20 gallon would be the minnimum size and she'd be ok on her own. Anything you choose to put in with her should be fast and boisterous enough to get away from her (especialy now that she's mature) if she decides to chase them around. Keep in mind that she'll probably be first to be put in the new tank under the cicumstances and that the new fish will still be young. She will inevitably view them as intruders. Good choices might be a trio of cherry barbs, a trio of american-flag fish, a trio of swordtails, a pair of bolivian rams, most rainbowfish, non-nippy schooling barbs such as checkered or rosy, medium-sized catfish (including the smaller plecs), smaller non-nippy loaches or larger tetras and rasboras. Just keep in mind that the size tank you choose will play a big role in what you can fit in the tank and avoid adding too many top-dwelling tankmates as they'll compete with ehr for space.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

I keep my deformed g.gourami with rasboras and tetras and she's fine with them. Not at all keen on the 3 danios in there. There were 4 but she got mightily smegged off and bit one that got too close. Needless to say it was fatally damaged. She only lives there because she became a target in the breeding tank because of her condition and small size.
Hugs,
P.

 

[memphis]

i have 2 female gold gourami in a 50g tank and they seem very peacfull, they live with angels, clown loaches, mollies and neons and they don't seem to bother any of them

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

If the angels pair up you'll have aggro. Three spots are more then capable of becoming short tempered and the angels if they pair will become highly territorial and that will cause issues. I believe Sylvia posted similar eventualities in your thread in the beginners section too.
My deformed gal still lives with all the others and is perfectly peaceful, so long as the danios don't try bugging her. Think she's more annoyed at their constant activity whereas the tetras and harlequins are a placid bunch who don't do much at all. Also have to bear in mind that she does have a disability with her spine and consequently her small size. Normal healthy 3 spots would not be as accomodating and somewhat quicker.
The 50g tank is a good size and great while they're all young and no one is reproducing, but eventually you could have issues to contend with. Worth bearing in mind for the not too distant future.
Hugs,
P.