affanmala

capekate

It sounds to me that your new fish is shy at being in a new home. Also with no other fish in the tank, it probably feels very vulnerable. Any chance to add some small fish, so that it doesnt feel so all alone? I do not know how long you have had your tank set up or if its cycled yet or not, so its hard to suggest more fish at the moment. Other than to say, it may feel more secure with other fish in the tank.. and that it will get used to its new home in time.
Even tho its not eating the food when it floats, if you leave some in the tank, eventually the little guy will eat off the bottom, and this way get some food.
Do you have any plant cover for it? DG do like to have some floating plants to hide in at the surface and adding some plants may give it some security it is looking for.
Can you give us some more information on your tank? How long its been set up? What water tests have you had done? What is your water change routine if it is not cycled yet? All this can help with future questions, that we may be able to help you with. Good luck with your lil guy!

~ kate

xsile

hi affanmala, i have a neon dwarf gourami in my tank and yes its very shy still. have you tried to feed it 1/4 a block of frozen blood worms? what i do is put the 1/4 into a fine mesh fish net and sit the fish net just into the surface of the water. the Gourami comes up when it likes to and sucks the worms through the netting. Hope this helps!


Here i just fed him anyhow so took a pic to show you.

Faye Rod

I'm glad you posted this thread! I got a dwarf gourami 2 days ago and it isn't eating also. It stays in a top corner of the tank away from all of the other fish. I introduced three new platys at the same time and they are all fine and coming to feed with the guppies and cherry barbs.

I read today that floating plants is important for the gourami - is there a certain one that is recommended? I thought if I got one tomorrow it might bring the fellow out of the corner. There are lots of caves and hiding places in the tank but other than an occasional swim around the perimeter of the tank he's not going to find them.

capekate

Hi Faye
I went to petsmart and bought what is called 'frill plant'. Latin name is myriophyllum scabratum. Its very common and goes by other names, but Petsmart has it listed as just frill plant. Its a hairy soft plant that is easy to float. I hook it to my thermometer so it stays in place. It floats very nice on the surface of the tank and my Gouramis love to hang out in it and also catch any food left over there. They also like to pick at the vegetation. It helps them feel secure in a tank with other fish. I also have a bunch of it planted in the gravel as well for more hiding places.
Your Gourami will eventually go to the bottom of the tank and look for left over food to eat if it is not eating at the surface with the other fish.
Hope this info helps..
~ kate

COBettaCouple

He may also feel vulnerable with the tank having no background.. like he's in open water.

Faye Rod

Thanks CapeKate - we are going by Pet Smart tomorrow and I'll see if I can get some myriophyllum scabratum (whew!). Hopefully that will help - he seems healthy, just a little freaked out!

CoBetta - I do have a background. One of these days I'll get around to posting some pictures. I don't know if this is considered high jacking but the picture on this thread wasn't mine.

By the way though - the filter media you recommended is working great. It's been helpful not to have to worry about replacing the carbon filters. And I really appreciate your help in getting me through the nitrogen cycle.

Getting back to affanmala - is your gourami doing any better?

affanmala

Still the same problem, I ll try to feed it again, but lets see what happens, otherwise i ll just have to grab him and stick some food in his mouth

Faye Rod

I wouldn't recommend that! I put in some dried bloodworms tonight - he didn't act interested and his tank friends ate them quickly. So I put in some flakes and he - very nonchalantly and without moving - ate a few flakes that floated by. So maybe he's starting to trust the environment - at least in his little corner of the tank!

capekate

Faye: My dwarf Gouramis like the brine shrimp.. snubbed their noses at the bloodworms tho.
Just look at the labels for "FRILL Plant"... they have them all the time at my local Petsmart so Im hoping you will find them at yours.
Affanmala:
Have you thought of trying plants in your tank as well? Same suggestion that I gave to Faye, may help your little guy to not feel so shy.

affanmala

I baught golden gourami on friday and since i got it, my dwarf is more active, seems like it was little lonely thats why it didnt swim much. As far as eating flakes, its still not eating or atleast not eating infront of me. But i did put in flakes about 2 or 3 times a day, maybe they ate it off the gravel when i was gone. They are more active when lights are off. hmmmm?

COBettaCouple

They'd probably go for some thawed, frozen bloodworms.

timmafee

mine got stressed from the trip home and when i flicked on the lights for a few days he would freak out for a sec, now hes calmed down.
i feed him frozen bloodworms, flakes and he'll munch on an algae disc that my bristlenose likes aswell.

GouramiGuy

thats the weirdest thing, mine have never been shy and have always been really good eaters!!, but I have never got more than 3 at a time and maybe its just feeling lonely.

ER9

mine took over a week to get accustomed to my tank as well. give him time and plenty of hiding places and he will get better. gouramis definatelly need hiding spots though. mine loves very heavilly planted areas of my tank and caves or behind big rocks. some gourami's will remain skitish their entire lives so good cover i think is essential for their long term peace/health.

also they are very opportunistic eaters and will eat almost anything. they will definatelly eat off the bottom when your not looking. also being omnivores some will enjoy an algea waffer every once in a while. my dwarfs favorite foods though are live black worms and frozen blood worms. they aren't very picky eaters.

GouramiGirl1221

affanmala-keep a very close eye on your gouramis. Gold gouramis are a color morph of blue "three spot" gouramis; I kept my dwarf with my roommates blue gourami for about a week and a half and my poor little guys fins were demolished. Dwarfs will typically not stand up for themselves against their larger counterparts.