11yancazosj

i have 2 female and 1 male blue gouramis. the male is suddenly becoming very aggressive toward one of the females buy nipping her body and chasing them away.

Does anyone know why?

sirdarksol

It's likely mating behavior. That sounds very much like how they mate. It's probably not that he's chasing her away, it's that she's swimming away, seeing if he can keep up with her.
However, some labyrinth fish are just territorial with others of their own kind, as well.

11yancazosj

thats what i was thinking.

it is deffinately him chasing the girls. plus the body biting

yer, now im pretty sure he is NOT trying to keep up with them. they are trying to get away.

pitty, i only got no tank. hang in there my little gouramis (there not little... bout 7 cm) :{

sirdarksol

Yeah, I just noticed your tank size and was coming back here to amend my statement.
In that size tank, it's likely territoriality.

11yancazosj

but is my tank overstocked

Shawnie

yes with that many gourami's its way overstocked...one of them will stress or kill eachother...1 gourami alone in that size tank is going to feel threatened with ANY other fish if it doesnt have its own space..and thats just about impossible in a 18 gal tank with that many fish babies

11yancazosj

the babies are in a seperate breeding net but yea i do know its overstocked. i guess i got a little carried away.

Shawnie

the gouramis and rest of the adults are not
I dont believe the gouramis are "mating" or "flirting" ....one or all is going to end up hurt or dead if they dont get a bigger tank to have their own space

11yancazosj

i understand