# Fighting Dwarf Gouramis



## gowgowuk (Dec 5, 2010)

Hello,
A few weeks ago, I noticed that the 2 male Dwarf Gouramis I have in my tank were starting to get more and more aggressive towards each other. Until today, I thought it was more "playful" than anything else. However, today, I noticed that both fish were wounded in the same region, where they seem to peck each other. Here is a picture of one of them:

The other one have very similar wounds, so, there doesn't appear to be a "winner".
I immediately isolated one of them in a small breeder net, but I really don't know what to do know. They even still fight through the breeder net! 
Now, before you tell me I should have done my homework: these were fish that I received with the aquarium so, had no choice there. 
They were fine though, but at the beginning (I started the aquarium 2 month ago), the aquarium was empty and they have plenty of space. Now, the population is higher (too high? see below) and maybe that explains why they got more aggressive?
About the setup:
150L, 120cm aquarium
Fairly well planted (plenty of places to hide or be isolated)
25 degrees, ph 7.5, no ammonia or nitrites for at least 6 weeks (the cycling was done quickly because I kept filter and water from the old aquarium), nitrates between 5-10ppm, gH 120, kH 90.
population:
- 2 dwarf Gouramis
- 5 Golden white cloud minnows (2 adults and 3 young)
- 10 Zebrafish (4 adults and 6 young) (I intend to keep only 5 or 6)
- 5 Corydoras trillineatus
- 2 Otocinclus affinis

I suppose I can set up a temporary tank in a plastic tank on my kitchen table, but it's not a long term solution. So, I guess I'd have to give up one of the 2 Gouramis and hopefully the remaining one will calm down... It's going to be difficult to get a shop, or an individual to take a wounded fish! And I don't really have the means or the space to set up a second tank. Any idea? I guess if I don't find a solution I will have to humanely euthanize one, it's better then to let them fight to death!

Any advice would be more than welcome!
Thanks!


----------



## Mrs.JayMay23 (Nov 5, 2010)

you could try to put a separator up in the tank for a little while and see if that helps them out. 

other than trying that out, you would have to get another tank.


----------



## Scuff (Aug 10, 2010)

Dwarf gouramis should be kept singly, unless you can get a male/female pair (and the females are not commonly seen in the majority of stores). Do yourself a favor and remove one if them before one dies.


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

Funny; in my 30 gallon I have a powder blue one in a breeder net right now myself because he was getting aggressive towards the other male. I started with 2 blues and two reds. He killed one of the blues about a month ago, and last week he killed one of the reds... so he's going to be gone tomorrow actually (probably trading him in on a beautiful Sailfin Molly the LFS has). He was the only aggressor in the tank; the others could have cared less about the other fish around them.

Each one has a personality of their own, so to say "you can't have more than one male in a tank" can be a little misleading. Two males can live happily together provided the tank has a large enough water surface area and have enough floating plants at the surface to they can claim their own areas to make nests, and maybe a few hiding places on the bottom like rock structures or logs so they have separate places to rest and sleep at night. Water surface area is a big deal with these guys since they are labyrinth fish and bubble nest makers.


----------



## Scuff (Aug 10, 2010)

You can say that about bettas as well, but the majority of people simply do not have a properly sized or set up aquarium to safely keep two male bettas together without World War 3 happening. The average aquarist does not have a proper sized tank to safely keep two dwarf gouramis together for an extended length of time.

Dwarf gouramis also tend to establish a pecking order when I groups of 3-10, and it's nOt uncommon for the less dominant males to be passive for a period of time.


----------



## gowgowuk (Dec 5, 2010)

Thank you all for the replies. It look like I'll have to remove one of them.
So, I'll probably set a temporary tank in a plastic box that I used to put the fish while I was moving the aquarium, and hopefully, 
they would heal themselves since it does look superficial.
he should then look a bit better after a while and easier to give away.
I'll ask in local shops, maybe I can advertise there.....
And in case someone from Scotland read this: I am in Edinburgh et I am willing to drive myself to reasonable distance if someone is willing to take him. I'll even add 4 zebrafish for free!


----------

