Territorial Catfish

[Hub]

Hello, not an emergency but certainly a problem.

I was recently given a fishtank complete with fish.
5 Gourami's various tetra and a Catfish (Syno Ocellifer)

The catfish has started being aggressive with other fish and i have heard various stories about catfish eating or attacking other fish.
The tank is 1ft x 2ft the catfish is about 8". I have noticed it swimming around the tank trying to have a quick nibble on anything that gets in its way. (fish that are not even near its territory)

Is the tank to small for this kind of catfish?
Are there any reasons why it would be aggressive?
Will i wake up one day missing afew fish?!?!?!?


Also I have a Kissing Gourami (around 5") which seems to be bullying the other gourami in the tank.

Is this normal?

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks.

 

[kizno1]

the tanks to small you need about i 4foot tank i think but definatly bigger than 2. it will just be agressive because the tanks so small and all the other fish are in his territory. at 8" its proberly being agressive towards the tettras because he wants to eat them if there small tetra like neons.

 

[Wills]

Hi welcome to the forum! Sounds like you have inherited a bit of a mess there! As said both the kisser and the syno need much bigger tanks and at 8 inches surely it must be pretty obvious I mean he must struggle to turn around in there?

 

[Hub]

Yeah its not a pretty sight!
I have a friend who owns a Tropical fish shop and he has offered them a space in his big tank.
I am sure they will be happier there.

Thanks for your speedy responses!

 

[star4]

Hiya and welcome, ditto the others really, the tank is not big enough. I have a kisser, bain of my life it is, it came with a tank and is the most evil fish I have owned, it has a go at everything, but finally after moving it round various tanks it seems happy now in with my Ellioti fry (for the time being) the kisser is the most aggressive gourami (as far as I know). I think your only solution is a bigger tank or re-home the syno and kisser, see the classified section and pop an add on, someone will most likely take them off you. Dont look at me though I have taken on enough loony fish for the time being