Gourami behaviour, can someone try to help?

HI guys.

I have a single dwarf male in my 10g, its quite heavily planted and is doing really well.


Except for this fish, who constantly swims up and down the tank, from one end to another.

It bizarre, I've never had a gourami who does this, id expect this from a bala shark or something!

The only 2 explanations I have is

1) the tank is too small
2) Hes constantly swimming at his reflection? ?


ANY advice would be great,

Cheers.

 

Sound like he's happy to me. Mine did the same in a 67gal.

 

Sound like he's happy to me. Mine did the same in a 67gal.

You think?

Well if so that's awesome, I just think he must get exhausted!!!


HE does stop occasionally actually, but guess what time that is!!! HEs very greedy, which is always nice to see.

 

Mine did this for a full day after I got him and he still does it ever now and then.

He will be fine. Give him a bit to get to know then tank.

 

ok thanks,

Ive had him for just under a week.

I'm going to buy even more plants and plant in the foreground if he doesn't chill.

That ll stop the little bugger!

 

Is he the only one in the tank?

 

Is he the only one in the tank?

Yea, I don't think I should risk more than 1 in a 10g, gouramis aren't the most peaceful.


Do you think its a bad idea?

 

Sounds like he is OK if he's eating.... You are using good restraint to not over stock your tank. Just give him a little more time, he should settle down.

 

Yea, I don't think I should risk more than 1 in a 10g, gouramis aren't the most peaceful.


Do you think its a bad idea?

Nope. They do pretty well on their own.

 

Thanks for replies.

I'm pretty sure its his reflection, as he jumps sometimes when he sees it in the glass and starts to raise his fins.

HE has started to calm down though, Ill keep u posted!

 

Do you have some plants (live or artificial) in there? My gouramis like to hide in them, and it helps them feel safer and more comfortable in the tank.

 

Do you have some plants (live or artificial) in there? My gouramis like to hide in them, and it helps them feel safer and more comfortable in the tank.

Hey, yea its quite heavily planted with real plants.

Hes getting better, slowly/

 

Hi!

Here's the thing:
When a fish (Or any animal) knows it is in a safe location, where no predators will attack and there is an endless supply of food - an excellent way of getting excercise is to swim up and down. Lots of Dwarfs do it.;D

 

wow hatchet heaven, I have seen you posting all over. you're quite the help!

 

Hi!

Thanks FishPerson! I ponly know this because I go on this forum and to hours or research!

 

lol ya, ive been going on this forum a lot since I started the hobby, I have learned quite a bit about fish keeping.

 

Ok. So I recently upgraded my tank to 30 gal. Super excited about a bigger tank. Bigger tank = bigger fish, yes!? I don't have a lot of aquarium exercise besides my 2 years of breeding guppies.
I wanted to have a couple big fish and then some smaller schools. Gourami so seemed the perfect big easy-ish fish. Anyway, any advice or feedback would be appreciated. Here is my video showing the behavior in question.

 

Hi, welcome to fishlore!
In my experience, this means that they are getting to know each other. But male dwarf gouramis generally should not be kept together.

 

Hi, welcome to fishlore!
In my experience, this means that they are getting to know each other. But male dwarf gouramis generally should not be kept together.

Oh gosh. I may have to take Larry back and get a Larrietta. It is odd, because Mo and Curly never have had any issues.

 

Oh gosh. I may have to take Larry back and get a Larrietta. It is odd, because Mo and Curly never have had any issues.

Yeah, a female will do a lot better. Are Mo and Curly dwarf gouramis?

 

Yeah, a female will do a lot better. Are Mo and Curly dwarf gouramis?

I think so.

 

I think so.

Okay, then you got lucky. Males usually kill each other.

 

Okay, then you got lucky. Males usually kill each other.

Oh man! Lucky! So far so good. It has been a few hours and they give each other space, and then meet up and size each other up, and then go their separate ways. I hope the tank is just big enough to give them enough space so they feel comfortable and not confrontational.
Mo is still just hanging out. Larry (the new one) hasn't bothered Mo at all.

Definitely no more gourami for my tank. Fingers crossed the three I have live in harmony. My rainbow shark has claimed the huge bridge in the middle of the tank and everyone seems fine about that. My male betta tries to pull rank sometimes, but no success. He flares every once in a while just to see if he still has it. (No reaction from other fish, but don't tell him that.)

Now to just enjoy, maintain, and wait for my plants to grow.

 

Oh man! Lucky! So far so good. It has been a few hours and they give each other space, and then meet up and size each other up, and then go their separate ways. I hope the tank is just big enough to give them enough space so they feel comfortable and not confrontational.
Mo is still just hanging out. Larry (the new one) hasn't bothered Mo at all.

Definitely no more gourami for my tank. Fingers crossed the three I have live in harmony. My rainbow shark has claimed the huge bridge in the middle of the tank and everyone seems fine about that. My male betta tries to pull rank sometimes, but no success. He flares every once in a while just to see if he still has it. (No reaction from other fish, but don't tell him that.)

Now to just enjoy, maintain, and wait for my plants to grow.

Well, good luck! Also, I'd watch that betta. They can be aggressive out of nowhere after months or years of peacefulness.

 

Larry and Mo will kill each other. The wild colored one is starting to have a blie throad = mating mood. Swap one for a female as Anders suggested before it is to late.
And gouramis mean : floating plants !!!! Regard Aad

 

Sad news. Larry passed away. This morning I found him nearly lifeless. Pale colors. Then a about an hour later, at the bottom. RIP Larry. Was it DGD??
I also found Fluffy, my catfish, dead this morning. Very odd. He seemed fine yesterday. RIP Fluffy.

I am now worried about Curly! He seems a little less active and seems bloated. Will he be ok?

Mo seems fine and isn't acting or looking any different.

I'm trying not to panic.

 

Sad news. Larry passed away. This morning I found him nearly lifeless. Pale colors. Then a about an hour later, at the bottom. RIP Larry. Was it DGD??
I also found Fluffy, my catfish, dead this morning. Very odd. He seemed fine yesterday. RIP Fluffy.

I am now worried about Curly! He seems a little less active and seems bloated. Will he be ok?

Mo seems fine and isn't acting or looking any different.

I'm trying not to panic.

DGD is usually a giant blotch on the DG. But it could be....... I'd just euthanize Curly, unfortunately.

 

DGD is usually a giant blotch on the DG. But it could be....... I'd just euthanize Curly, unfortunately.

Oh that is so sad. I removed him and put him in a smaller tank. Maybe a little quarantine time?? He seems to be more himself and swimming a lot more. I just don't want to give up on him. He has so much personality.

 

Oh that is so sad. I removed him and put him in a smaller tank. Maybe a little quarantine time?? He seems to be more himself and swimming a lot more. I just don't want to give up on him. He has so much personality.

Well, he is looking better. I'd wait to see what happens. I really hope he gets well.

 

Maybe he is just fat. I put some food in with him and he is eating. That's a good sign, right?

 

Maybe he is just fat. I put some food in with him and he is eating. That's a good sign, right?

Yes, very good. Fingers crossed.

 

I'm so sorry for your two losses. I hope Curly will be okay. He's beautiful.

 

I'm so sorry for your two losses. I hope Curly will be okay. He's beautiful.

Thank you! Curly is doing great! Whew! I was so tempted to get a new Larry today, but I am going to wait a bit.
I do have a few mystery snails coming. (3 Ivory and 2 Purple)

 

I hope you enjoy your snails. I think the purple's are real pretty.

 

Ahhhhhh!!!!!!! Now my tank has ick!!! My two plecostomus have it bad. Treating the tank. I hope this tank settles all it's issues soon.

My little 10 gal never had issues. The water was always clear. This 30 gal's water is always a little cloudy. ?? My plants grew like crazy. I never vacuumed the substrate. So low maintenance. This 30 gal tank is becoming a bit discouraging.

Aww Curly, my DG, is building a bubble nest! Not sure for who. But it's so cute! He dragged some floating water spangles into a quiet corner and is now building a nest around them. Not sure who is giving him the signal, but...awwwww.



Curly has so much personality! He is not camera shy. He loves to photobomb. Oh and did I mention he loves to throw spit wads! Yup! He takes bits of moss or roots and literally spits them out of the water into the side or ceiling of the tank! LOL I love Curly!

 

That's great! He must be happy and healthy if he's making bubblenests......

 

So, Mo is growing...quickly. He now is bigger than Curly. I think he has become braver too. Mo challenges Curly. Sometimes Mo plays submissive and sometimes he plays the dominant. Curly is just like, "whatever. If you bring it, I'll bring it." I haven't noticed any injuries, but I am keeping a close eye on them. What find so cool is Mo's color changing. When Mo plays submissive, he is very pale and swims below Curly on an angle. When Mo plays dominate, his colors are vibrate. His stripes and name (the "MO" on his side) are defined. Pretty interesting to watch them "play." At least I hope it is play. Like I said I am keeping a close eye them.

Here are some pics.







My troublemakers. Curly, LBB, Elsa and Mo.

Here's my biggest troublemaker of them all! Dash. He loves "tagging" other fish and then hiding. Tag! You're it!

 

That's great! He must be happy and healthy if he's making bubblenests......

Mmmmmm, that doesn't have to be the case Anders. Often the temperature is the trigger to do so. Not defo sure, but is Mo (great that name on the side) a female?
Regards Aad

 

Mmmmmm, that doesn't have to be the case Anders. Often the temperature is the trigger to do so. Not defo sure, but is Mo (great that name on the side) a female?
Regards Aad

Not sure if Mo is a female or not. How can I tell? I thought females were hard to come by.

 

Not sure if Mo is a female or not. How can I tell? I thought females were hard to come by.

For blue gouramis? No. Males have pointed dorsal fins, and females are rounded in the belly and the dorsal fins.