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I've had two three spot gouramis in my tank for a month or two now and over the past week or so one of them has really started going for the other one. It chases him (I'm fairly certain they're the same sex but I don't know male or female) round the tank and has shredded his fins.I've got another tank that I could transfer one of them into but it has two more (peaceful) gouramis in it and I don't want it hassling them too. What do you think? Will it just pass? Because they never used to do this. I know this is fairly similar to the 'gourami aggression' thread but I wanted to sort it out

To the best of my knowledge the three spot Gourami are possibly the most aggressive of the smaller Gourami.

There is a good chance you could have two males. If you still want the blue colour Gourami return them and replace them with the Opaline Gourami they are blue and extremly peacefull with each other even if in a school of all males.

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Keith

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Opaline gouramis and blue gouramis are the same species and both equally agressive along with the other 5? 10? colors of the 3 spot/blue gourami. My female opaline was only 1/3rd grown when she killed my ram. I went through 2 other females finding one that could stand up to my blue male who keeps slaughtering his mates. This ones a winner she's still alive after 2 weeks. They do get along with sparkling gouramis but any larger gouramis and they see them as a threat and so eliminate the competition. Some blue gouramis get along alright with each other and other gouramis but overall this species(including the color morphs) are one of the most agressive of the common gourami species and not likely to get along with other gouramis. My blue male wouldn't even share a 90g tank except with this female. They generally don't bother non gourami species though. Mine are in with cories, tetras, threadfin rainbows, plecos, wood shrimp, rainbow shrimp, and ghost shrimp. Most gouramis will pick on shrimp though so that's not always a good mix. The blue is less likely than some of the others. Although the wood shrimp are nearly the size of the gouramis and one shoved the female away when she came to bother him.

Last edited by sham at 17-Jan-2006 21:33

so if I put the bullied gourami in the other tank do you think he would bother my happy gouramis? Because he doesn't fight back when the other one chases him. Or is that just because the other one is more dominant?

Sophthefish,

I think aggression between gouramies has a lot to do with available space, more space = less aggression.

How big is the tank that they are in now, and how big is the other tank?

And while we are at it, what are the other tank mates in each?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Sometimes space is an issue however my blue gourami won't share a 90g and my dwarf gouramis killed each other in a 55g but I've kept 2 blue gouramis in a 29g before. I think it's much more the individuals personality and then the space issue. While my male wouldn't get along with 2 other females even in a 90g he gets along with this one completely because they are both of equal agression.

If you give them hiding space and obstacles to break the aggressive fishes attention from the bullied fish, they will have an easier time. Plants for example.

Some 3 spots may mellow after age. I have been told this about my Giant Gourami and boy it's a killer.

I have not seen any of my 3 spots harm or even chase other types of fish (even tetras). I have seen tetras more aggressive than 3 spots. However, smaller and/or more timid fish may become stressed by being in a tank with larger fish, which could cause death due to illnesses.

I am also wondering if certain 3 spots aggressiveness could have to do with whether they are cought in wild or tank bred. I have heard that some cichlids are less aggressive now since they have been tank bred for so many generations (Green Terrors).

-Matt

My comment about aggression was not geared towards gouramies in general, but one in specific.

I still believe that a particular gourami will be less aggressive if he/she has more space. Does that make sense?

And I am still curious about the answers to my initial question, what are the two tank sizes and who are the mates.



Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Yes the Opaline Gourami are the same species but a different variety and they area very peaceful variety, that is the only reason I have them. Also that is the reason the three spot were ruled out they "can" be very agressive.

I have ten Opaline and two Pearl Gourami all males in the 5ft tank and never a problem. Yes there is the occasional chasing and this only lasts a few seconds. I can assure you if any one of these Gourami or any other fish was aggressive in that tank it would not be in it at all. That name of the tank is Placidity and that is exactly what it is.

Have a look in [link=My Profile]http://
www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/forums/profile.asp?userid=6741" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link] for my tank info

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Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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I don't think the average opaline gourami is any more or less agressive than the average blue gourami or gold gourami, platinum gourami, lavender gourami, and the rest of the 3spot color morphs. Like I said my opaline just slaughtered my female ram which is why she got moved to the 90g before she was completely grown out. I was hoping to get her near the size of the blue male instead of adding another small female but this one stands up to a blue twice her size just fine. I've had opalines kill other gouramis/fish and I've had blues live together in smaller tanks. Now I have a blue that started in a 55g and still won't share a 90g except with this 1 female who is of equal agression to him. The opaline though is the first 3 spot I've seen actually kill a fish that wasn't a gourami. She's a little devil but luckily all fish in the 90g are too fast and there are too many for her to single one out. Although I added an extra male ram I had to that tank after my other 2 paired off and he went missing. Maybe she has a thing against rams. I'd have to say she nearly rivals those paradise fish I had for agression level.

There are also 3 spot gouramis that will live quite peacefully together in a tank of just 29g or even with other gourami species but unless you buy them young and add them all at once I wouldn't bet money on it. It's dependent on personality and tank space or hiding places seems to have only moderate affect on how they act. A large heavily planted tank has made absolutely no difference in my blue male. My tank is actually a bit empty right now because I sold a bunch of plants and this is the first time he's gotten along with another gourami. Maybe it also depends on breeding and the breeder(s) in a certain area is breeding calmer opalines than breeders in this area.

Are any 3 spots still wild caught? I didn't think they were since they are so easy to breed.

Please I dont want this to drag on and be very confusing.

Am I correct in saying your problem Gourami was a female? I have no experience with Opaline FM Gourami at all as I only have males and can only speak about my experiences with them.

So that we are not confusing the subject more here is a photo of one of my Opaline M Gourami it was taken a while back and they are all far more developed than this photo shows.

Have a look in [link=My Profile]http://
www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/forums/profile.asp?userid=6741" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link] for my tank info

[link=Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos]http://photobucket.com/albums/b209/keithgh/Betta%20desktop%20tank/" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link]

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Sorry about this missed photo.

Keith

keithgh attached this image:


Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Sorry my computer bust so it took me a while to get back on here! At the moment they're in a 30g with 2 cories, 5 guppies a plec and kuhli loaches. The other tank's at least twice as big but has more fish: 2 platies, 3 mollies ,an otto, 5 flame tetras some neons glowlights 2 pakistani loaches and theother two gouramis (i don't know what type they are because it's my dad's tank, they're sort of golden with a black stripe running horizontally down their side). What's my best plan?