riskbreaker76

I just picked up a blue paradise gourami on sunday for my 46 gallon tank. he seemed a little aggressive in the store but i thought that was just because he shared a tank w/ other blue paradise gouramis. anyway, i take him home and by the next day he stopped hiding and pretty much asserted himself as the king of the tank. no big deal as long as he leaves the other fish alone. well for the most part he does but i noticed he kept chasing both of my platys. my platys are bigger than him too. well i come home tuesday and the larger of the 2 platys is torn up and dying. i separate him from the rest of the tank but the platy still dies a few hours later. what was crazy was that the gourami still tried to attack the dying platy that was lying in a separation container within the tank. after that he pretty much leaves the other fish alone. he chases the other platy but not as aggressive as before. i did notice one of my black phantom tetras has a tear in his fin and i know he did that too so now im kinda upset. im thinking i should take him back. would be a shame since he's a really nice looking fish plus he's such an active swimmer. he's always swimming though the nooks and crannies that i set up w/ my plants, rocks and driftwood...moreso than my other fish. the other tetras just float around unless they are chasing each other to get our of their territory...i hate that. i really wanted to make him a centerpiece. should i take him back or just re-stock around him. if so, any suggestions on what he's be compatible with? i was thinking maybe him, my catfish and a few loaches/corys. thanks!

other fish in tank:
5 white skirt tetras, 2 black phantoms, 1 platy, 1 striped raphael, (+ 2 clown loaches currently healing at my LFS. havent gotten them back yet)

Red1313

Paradise fish do tend to be aggressive. Here's a good link on them, I think they give you a list of recommended tank-mates as well.

coffeebean

i have one that was fine in my community tank, and its quite a mish mash of a community, until recently. i was given a small honey sunset gourami and they do not get along. i moved the sunset out to a different tank. he seems fine with all the other fish.

can you get another tank for him? maybe pick up a 20 gallon? otherwise i think you should take him back before you have more deaths

riskbreaker76

thanks for the replies.
after a week, he seems to have calmed down considerably. i guess he just had a problem w/ that one platy. maybe it was because he was so much bigger? i dunno. im just glad he's not chasing any of the other fish anymore.

Neji

Maybe your Paradise Gourami was stressed out? Or he needed some time to get used to the tank?