Warring Gouramis

[tibby25731]

I have a golden gourami and a pearl gourami living in my community tank (4ft). The golden is slightly larger and was the first gourami I bought. The pearl has been living in the community for about 2 weeks, since coming out of quarantine. When they were introduced, the golden picked on the pearl mercilessly so I moved the golden to another tank for a few days to let the pearl settle in. When they got back in together, they seemed to be as bad as each other, occasionally trying to bite each other, and both have lost a few scales. Now the golden seems to have the upper hand again.
Will they ever get on? If not, I guess I either rehome one of them, or get more to spread out the aggression? I'd like to introduce a girl, but nowhere around here ever has girls! Any advice?

 

[tibby25731]

Anyone???

 

[SharonCC]

I'd rehome one of them...Gouramis are territorial, and it won't stop until one of them has died.

 

[Gunngee]

I bought a gold gourami and 2 blue dwarf gourami's at the same time. One of the blues killed the other blue. I was not happy but there was nothing I could do about it. All was good untill the gold gourami got big then he started picking on my other blue. So bad that his tail was torn and his top fin was really bad. The only way to cure this was to rehome the gold. I wasn't very happy, he was my favorite fish but better to do that then to have him kill my other blue.

 

[tibby25731]

Thanks both. My brother visits in a few weeks, I will give him one for his tank. I have a spare tank I can move one to if things get too bad in the meantime.