Hi there, this is my first post on this form and not quite sure how it works yet. Hope that some of you can help me though. Yesturday, I brought 2 male Dwarf Gouramis and 1 wood shrimp (I am planning to get 3 more shrimp soon as they had low stock available at the time). Had looked into them slightly before buying them to see if they would be alright in my tank and assumed they would be alright together as in multiple YouTube videos they were kept together. They have been put in my 55l aqua one aspire tank ( as linked below) with 11 harlequin rasboras, 1 electric blue ram, 1 German blue ram and 2 yellow rabbit snails. They were great last night an during the day until I did a water change when I noticed both gouramis began to go through phases of chasing and nipping each other. The pet store said this might happen but they would get over it. This is my only tank and wanted them as ' centerpiece fish' as they are very beautiful and great to watch. They don't seem to be injuring each other at the moment, I just dont want thing to escalate. The tank has been set up for almost 2 months and is running great with 0 amonia and 0 nitrite and I am testing the water daily incase there is a change. Can anyone help me please I woul be very greatful and has anyone experience this with gouramis and is there a way stop them or calm them down? Will it get worse or even lead to death? What would u say to do? Thank you for any replys
Having 2 dwarf gouromi isnt recommended till you get up to a 4 foot tank even then they can be quite abusive to each other.
Thank you for such a fast reply am very greatful. Not going to be able to do much tonight but my dad has a 260l tank with a few different fish however I'm not quite sure what they are, I know there is a rubber lip pleco, a catfish, 2 quite big fish that are hardly seen accept occasionally when they are being fed and some smaller fish including kibensis Cichlids. Do you think one of the dwarf Gouramis would be suitable to live in it?
Outside of the dwarf gourami issue, your tank is too small for the other inhabitants as well. Any chance you could upgrade? Can you get pics of the unknown fish in your dad's tank?
Yes, had brought the rams as an impulse from Pets At Home telling them all the information about my tank and asked if they would be ok in it, they said yes. When I got home, I did a bit of research and found out that they need a bigger tank. Had forgot but there is also a red tailed shark in my dad's tank aswell that seems to nominate. At the moment, the pictures I've uploaded are the best that I can get
LFS will often give you bad advice, either because they don't know, or because they want to make a sale. I wouldn't trust them with stocking advice or info on fish species. The second pic has a pleco in it, but I can't see what the other fish is from those pics.
Sorry for the later reply, phone didn't notify me there was another response. I won't be asking them for advise anymore. Regards to the dwarf Gouramis I have moved one of them to my dad's fish tank and he seems to be getting on quite well in there. Do you know much about rams? Because I was wondering if you would be able to sex them, have looked on the internet for the difference between them and have found two photos that are quite good but still can't figure out what the one is. Am guessing that the German blue ram is a male as he looks like the photo of a male. Have linked pictures below if you wouldn't mind having a look at them.
How big are they? Some might be too young to sex. I look at the first few rays of the dorsal fin - if they're much longer than the rest of the rays, it's usually a male, while if they're around the same length, they're usually female. Young males can look like females though.
I mean i have a 20gallon with two male gouramis. (I once had 5, yikes My new listened to the petstore advice NEVER DO THAT) Eventually it got down to three, the one was smaller then the other two and got bullyed so i put him in a different tank. Now im left with two male gouramis and they do fine together. They have their own territory and the only "fighting" they do is chase each other out of their territory. For now they are fine but you never know when angry strikes about in your tank so i say no!
They are both around 1.5" am just asking because they have been great, like they were best mates the whole time I have had them in the tank together, but today they German ram had began to chance and harass the other ram and other fish in the tank. Have heard the males can become territorial when there are eggs in the tank so was wondering if they had reproduced and that's why he has changed. The only things that have changed in the tank is the temperature as the weather has been quite warm and I have added two new shrimp which was earlier today
Even if they seem at peace now, the peace likely won't continue long term, especially as they get older and become sexually mature. Save yourself some stress and save the other fish's life by rehoming one now.
There is a red tailed shark that somethimes likes to chase other fish in the tank of the fish is quick he tends to give up quick
GBRs need warmer water than the red tailed shark, and without knowing what else is in the tank, I would say no. You never got better pics of the unknown fish in the tank.
These are the unknown fish, asked my dad and he said he can't remember he got them ages ago. The is a tiger loach (used to be more but they died), kibensis Cichlid a catfish and pleco
Ok we're going to be re scaping my dad's tank soon and will be getting some new fish, will make sure to get him some friends. Looking at the other fish do you think the ram would be ok in the tank?
No, I would expect he'll be outcompeted. And like I already mentioned, he's not temperature compatible.
