Male honey gourami keeps chasing females

So I've had a male honey gourami in my tank (20 gallon long) for a few months and recently was made aware honey gouramis do better in groups, so I got him 1 female about 2 weeks ago since that's all my shop had available, and 3 days ago got another one who was added today after her quarantine.

He was acting fine with the first female, he'd follow her around and display a lot but that was about it though he bugged her a lot trying to get her to come look at his bubble nest. However today when I added the second female he started acting a bit more aggressive and territorial. Whenever either female comes into his nest corner now he very quickly chases them out of it. I've yet to see any nipping or fin biting but I am keeping an eye on it just in case. Does anyone know why he might have started acting like this?

I am 100% positive the second gourami added is female.

 

I have a trio in a 40 gal and my male sometimes does that. But sometimes he welcomes them into his patch of weeds. I think he just likes to show them occasionally who's boss. No harm is ever done.

 

So I've had a male honey gourami in my tank (20 gallon long) for a few months and recently was made aware honey gouramis do better in groups, so I got him 1 female about 2 weeks ago since that's all my shop had available, and 3 days ago got another one who was added today after her quarantine.

He was acting fine with the first female, he'd follow her around and display a lot but that was about it though he bugged her a lot trying to get her to come look at his bubble nest. However today when I added the second female he started acting a bit more aggressive and territorial. Whenever either female comes into his nest corner now he very quickly chases them out of it. I've yet to see any nipping or fin biting but I am keeping an eye on it just in case. Does anyone know why he might have started acting like this?

I am 100% positive the second gourami added is female.

Could you post some photos of all the Gourami?
Could be that he is defending something in the nest.
I wouldn't worry too much about it though.

 

Drakine you describe exactly how my tanks of one male golden honey and multiply females behave. I have not seen any chunks missing from fins. Keep an eye on them all as they get older. I have them in a couple of 40 gallon tanks and still see chasing.

 

Could you post some photos of all the Gourami?
Could be that he is defending something in the nest.
I wouldn't worry too much about it though.

Here's some pics I have of them all, the females are very fast and hate my camera so I have the pictures of them in the bag. It's probably likely then he just doesn't want them in his corner.

 

Here's some pics I have of them all, the females are very fast and hate my camera so I have the pictures of them in the bag. It's probably likely then he just doesn't want them in his corner.

W o w! Those are some gorgeous honeys!!! They're one of my favorite fish that I'd like to keep in the future. Where did you get them?

 

W o w! Those are some gorgeous honeys!!! They're one of my favorite fish that I'd like to keep in the future. Where did you get them?

Thank you! I got the females from my local petco, the male I got from someone else local who was looking into rehoming him.

 

When I had 2+1 honeys, after my male bred with the one female the first time, they would both chase the other female. Before that, the two females got along well and would often swim together. After the male was no longer raising babies, and eventually died, the female stopped chasing the other female and eventually they became friends again.

Not sure if any of that applies to your situation, but watch for a hierarchy if it forms. Imo, that might be too small of a space for three if you want them to breed. Nowhere for the female to run if the male is particularly brutal on the nest, and nowhere for the other female to run from dad and mom if they're both being mean