ATKINSON

I have a pair of 3 spot gouramis that I have just moved to my 60L tank along with my 4 kuhli loaches. I am wondering why my male is constently irratating the female. They are the same size. Should I add a few tarket fish for the gourami to take his frustrations out on like danios.etc? My female is really getting beaten up.

HN1

A 60L tank is going to be too small for one Gourami, much less a pair (unless they are already conditioned for breeding). Are you certain you have a female? How heavily planted, decorated, etc. is the tank. Breaking up lines of sight may provide some temporary relief.

ATKINSON

They are a pair, 1 has a long top fin and the other has a shorter one.

Shawnie

I agree its not big enough for the two are you trying to breed them? at this point, I would see if you can get the separate as you dont want to loose one

ATKINSON

So it would be fine if I kept 1 by itself in a 60L tank

HN1

I wouldn't do it, but it could probably be done. One sad thing about them is that you very rarely see a full grown adult fish. They will approach a bulky 5-6". I kept several in a 55G and that was questionable at best.

ATKINSON

Why dont you see an adult gourami often?

HN1

Because they are usually placed with inappropriate fish or kept in bad combos that lead to fish deaths. The largest I have ever seen were the ones I inherited with a tank and kept for another year and a half. The ones I see at the shops are tiny juvies.

ATKINSON

I suppose you are right, I did however see some adults for sale at a fish shop that were at least 12cm

ATKINSON

My blue gourami that was being irratated is dead. I noticed a red, purple mark on the side of his head when I took him out. RIP

Lucy

I'm sorry you lost your gourami.
I'm wondering why you didn't heed the warnings given by the above members since this thread was asking for advice about why one was getting picked on.

ATKINSON

I did, I put the victim in a 150L tank with mollys, danios and red eyes the day after people wrote back... I forgot to mention it. Sorry