One sparkling gourami bullying other gouramis

Basically I did fish in cycle this is 10g with 1 nerite 7 sparkling gourami did have 6 pepper cory not anymore took them back and one gourami gone so now 6 and 4 glass shrimp, aquarium is cycled and I check yesterday no ammonia or nitrite or nitrates Ive tried to move stuff around but one is bullying all others

he sits on one half and the others all sit on the other half and he nips chases or flares at anyone who comes over Ive moved stuff added stuff its not the most planted tank but Im just not sure what else to do can anyone help?

 

You probably won’t want to hear this but mine settled down when I moved them from a 10 g to a 29 g.
The funny thing is that now that they have more space, they all seem to hang together but with no aggression (so far!). But they’ve only been in the 29 for about 5 weeks.

 

Adding more fairly large live plants to give more hiding places and break up sight lines would probably help, but I'll agree with Basil that a larger tank would be your best option. It doesn't have to be a 29 gallon tank; a 20 long would be a big improvement.

 

Adding more fairly large live plants to give more hiding places and break up sight lines would probably help, but I'll agree with Basil that a larger tank would be your best option. It doesn't have to be a 29 gallon tank; a 20 long would be a big improvement.

Yeah I would have preferred a 20 long but I had the 29 and already had it set up and cycled as a plant grow out tank and snail tank. They are really cool little fish but I definitely think they need more room than a 10 g.

 

I would consider both a larger tank and tall plants. And I would probably also get more so you have no less than 10.

Sometimes you do have individual fish that are aggressive. It wouldnt hurt to find out if the store will trade it.

 

Thank you all for your advice, also I will get a bigger tank but what I found out today was that I think hes guarding a nest

 

Congrats!! Mine did that as well. All nice and peaceful until breeding is involved. Things should settle down once the fry get eaten or are free swimming (until the next time!)

 

I had gotten a breeder box do I just set the ornament in there? And let them hatch what should I feed them?Can I crush up flakes in the fine dust or full of all bug bites for a small fish? What do you do Lucy? And if anybody else has any ideas please let me know

 

Thank you all for your advice, also I will get a bigger tank but what I found out today was that I think hes guarding a nest

Well that’s cool! I have no idea what to do when they are breeding. I have a feeling my tank ph is too high for me to see any spawning activity with mine.

 

Congrats on the fry; that's so exciting! From my bit of reading, people have used infusoria, baby brine shrimp, microworms, and very fine flake/powdered fry food, the brand listed was hikari first bites, to feed them. I have never raised sparkling gourami fry though, so hopefully someone else with more experience can chime in on the food and care for them!

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

I will thank you all for the encouragement!

Madison I have a question I order the hikari but I have a breeder box as I have no where else to put them do I just lift the ornament up and put the dad in with them or what? ALSO THERE ARE OFFICIALLY BABIES!!
He was watching me closly
Im going to try and attempt to put the ornament in the breeding box so the babies are safe, I’ll also put the father in there to so hes not worried to much is that a good idea? I think Ill try to put a net under it and try to put the box on the bottom and try to put it in that way, I’m not sure though if this is the best Idea because I have no other place to put them but I am going to plan and try to do this

When I moved the nest the dad and mum some of the babies got out and I have some plants for them to hide in but now I’m so upset that that happened, there are still babies with the mom and dad though

 

This is the best information I have found so far regarding raising the fry (image). The website I screenshot the information from is thefishdoctor.co.uk

I'm sorry to hear some of the babies got out, having plants in there will help them out. Dad needs to stay with the babies until they start swimming. Are you meaning the babies got out of the breeder net or just fell off of the ornament? Until they're free swimming, it's the dad who cares for them, so if they are out of the breeder net see if you can get them back in it. The mom also does not need to stay with the babies.

 

I think some of them underneath it a lot of them now I don’t see as many there was a second nest my mom thought the dad was eating a babies so she took them outAnd I tried to put them back in he’s not doing anything with the babies and the second bubble nest is gone.. I need to make some infusoria Honestly right now I don’t know what else to do I kind of feel like I messed things up by touching stuff