# My Gourami is being bullied



## *Angie* (Sep 29, 2010)

I posted last week about how I was worried one of my two Gold Gourami's was maybe sick, because several times he'd gotten stuck to the filter intake. Well, I think we've figured out his problem. He's not sick, he's being bullied by the other Gourami  I don't know what brought it on, because they seemed to get along ok for the first couple of weeks we had them. Now the one constantly picks on the other, chasing him around the tank and nipping at his fins. He'll literally chase him down into a corner of the tank and poke/bite at him. I think he's getting stuck to the filter because he's just plain exhausted from being chased all the time.

Is there anything I can do? Would adding a couple more Gourami's to the tank help? Or should I see if my fish store will take one of them back? I don't want to see him get picked on to death!


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Can you move to another tank? Adding one or two more may help.


----------



## *Angie* (Sep 29, 2010)

No, I don't have another tank I could move one to. I'm willing to add a couple more to the tank to see if it will help, the tank is nowhere near stocked yet.


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

what size tank is this?


my dwarfs are mean little guys when they single one another out... but I've got 4 of them in my 30 gallon now, so usually if one get's a little aggravated for whatever reason, he'll tire himself out trying to chase away three other fish, lol

it started to get REAL bad before when they were all in a 10 gallon together


----------



## chris oe (Feb 27, 2009)

Sometimes if you rearrange the tank decorations, or add some, dividing the tank visually into different areas, the fish will feel like there are multiple territories then, and will pick one to defend, leaving the other areas to the other fish. This has worked for me some times in the past, although some times it won't. You may also want to construct hiding places for the fish who is having a hard time to get away, and you may still want to cut the toe off of a pair of old panty hose (or a thin nylon knee high) and put it over your intake so the fish doesn't have that additional stress to deal with. A regular old rubber band will hold it on. If you don't have anyone in the house that wears nylons, just buy a pair of nylon knee highs, they cost about a buck for a cheap pair and they may even have some at the grocery store. I have had gouramis hound each other to death, so this is something you should take seriously.


----------



## *Angie* (Sep 29, 2010)

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's a 33 gallon tank.

Funny, before even reading the suggestion, I did some rearranging in the tank when I did a water change earlier today. I guess it looks to me like there are some distinct areas in the tank, but I'm not a fish, so what do I know? LOL 

I wish I understood why they were getting along so well before and now all of a sudden one has become such a bully. I feel really badly for the poor picked on fish  We're going out tomorrow, I think we'll get another couple of Gouramis and see how they all get on.


----------



## Cray4me (Nov 24, 2010)

Hi Angie

I recently purchased 4 Blue Gourami. I wanted 3 females to avoid one picking on the other but the lfs guy threw in a male as well. All is well so far but I wanted to ask if you know how to sex Gouramis because sounds like you might have 2 males. 
If so, you might want to get rid of the bullier and just keep one or grab a couple females to even things out. Remember 2-3 females for every one male is a good rule to follow.

Hope things work out for you & your fish.


----------



## verdifer (Sep 8, 2010)

Did you re-arrange the tank also before the bullying started, sometimes if you move it about the fish lose their old terrority and start to get a new 1, hence they start fighting.

You and I know that boat or the big bit of bogwood is the same 1 except its been moved to the other side of the tank but to them they are kinda in a new area where boundaries haven't been set yet.


----------



## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

*Angie* said:


> I wish I understood why they were getting along so well before and now all of a sudden one has become such a bully.


They may have reached sexual maturity or think it's breeding season.


----------



## chris oe (Feb 27, 2009)

IMHO the blue gouramis are the most aggressive of the gouramis. I've had ones that would take on fish much larger than they were. I'm a little worried about the "just add more" idea, it seems like it will backfire, but then again, I haven't tried it. Keep us posted.


----------



## ValorieMackison (Dec 10, 2010)

The only gourami I've kept so far is 2 female dwarf variety. Mind you, it may be their type, or their gender (maybe even just their personalities)... But they get along just fine having their own separate spaces in the tank.


----------



## *Angie* (Sep 29, 2010)

Well, I really appreciate all the advice from everyone. Unfortunately, before we had a chance to try adding more fish, the poor bullied gourami died  The tank didn't have a lot of fish in it yet to begin with, but now it's looking pretty empty. We'll try getting it stocked up after Christmas, and hope we don't lose anymore fish between now and then.


----------



## verdifer (Sep 8, 2010)

Keep in mind also if a fish is really un-well or near death other fish may pick at it, I can remember a few Tropical fish I had that went un-well and suddenly other fish started to have a nibble at it, I believe they just looked at it as being an easy meal and most fish are just scavengers.

Infact I remember putting 2 glass catfish in my tank and 1 was eaten within the hour, the other 1 had no probs at all in the tank.


----------

