# Jerk fish!



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I have a Dwarf Fire Gourami (my husband has lovingly named Bruce, lol) that is a bit of a jerk!

He started of with a harem of 3 females (2 'mysteriously' died within the first week of bringing them home) and the 3rd is looking a bit ragged now. (She's got some white marks on her head that look almost like 'peck' marks... and she's breathing hard all the time.) She also swims funny at times. I've noticed that if Bruce even catches a glimpse of her, he chases and pecks at her extensively - which is weird, 'cause he's always working on a nest.... so you'd think he'd do more of a 'courting' chase, NOT an aggressive chase!

Anyway, Mike and I don't think his last wife (Sylvia - she's all silver hahaha) is long for this world.

I guess Bruce is just one of those jerk fish and is destined to be a bachelor!

(He's fine with the 3Line's and the Harley's though.)


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

That can be a normal occurance with antiboids as they can be aggressive with their own kind.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I know hes not a betta,but I have found many of my males to be super aggressive even when trying to mate.He thinks she is way to close to his nest,and hes not done building.Therefore he sees her as an intruder right now,not a lover.He will chase her and attack until he feels his nest is ready.Then he will try to lure her,and if she follows and doesnt approve,then they will rinse and repeat the whole ordeal.Once they breed,same thing,he will keep her far from the fry as she will see them as snacks.

Ya know,if I were you,I would look really close in that nest.Look for eggs or wigglers.They will be very small.It would make sense if he already spawned that he would go into kill mode.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Oops! I cleaned the tank today, which means the string that holds the hornwort/nest got moved across the tank and all over.... wouldn't be any babies in it now I guess.... I'll look next time! (Um... as long as he hasn't killed her by next week that is... she really doesn't look good... and she was fine 2 days ago!)


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Why don't you move her into quarantine? She'd at least have a hope then.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I would but we don't have a quarantine tank. No room for another tank.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

You can always use a bucket or a rubbermaid tub with a sponge filter.


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