Hi, so i'm new at this whole aquarium thing. I just set up my aquarium two days ago and got my first starter fish. I got two Hi Fin Black Skirt Tetras and 2 Gold Gouramis in my 10 gallon tank. They seemed to be fine for the first few hours but one of the tetras started nipping at one of my Gourami's fins. The gourami now sits in the corner of my tank behind a fake plant while the tetra waits for it to come out. I tried pushing the tetra away but even after it was gone the gourami stayed there. The Tetra now seems to be leaving the gourami alone but instead it is now being chased by the other gourami (they are about the same size) I did some research and it says that the gouramis can be territorial but i was told differently from the guy at the pet store. I'm thinking about returning one of the gouramis for another fish. Any ideas?
Gourami being Attacked
- Thread starter Fullofit343
- Start date
gouramis can be mean and territorial, usually to other gouramis and usually more so in the larger varieties but I also heard recently the the skirt tetras can be nippy if they are in small numbers (streesed). If I were you Id return the gouramis, tell that guy he is an idiot and get a larger school of skirt tetras. A larger school of schooling fish looks better and is more active then then what you have now.
Unfortunately people in petstores are only interested in the money. Here are a few facts you need to take into consideration:
1. Two male gouramis will almost certainly not get on, especially in a tank as small as a 10. Gold gouramis can grow to 6 inches - only one can be kept in a 10. To check if they're males, look at the dorsal (top) fin. Pointed? you have a male. Rounded? female. Even with males AND females aggression can occur.
2. Black skirt tetras are nippy if not in a large enough shoal - at least 6. To tetras kept singly or in pairs, a gourami is just a very pretty yellow flag with floaty frondy things that nippy tetras and barbs will go at to their hearts' content.
3. A 10 gallon is, in the long run, too small for your current set-up. If the gouramis are both males, one needs to be taken back, and the black skirts need to increase in population size, though not being the smallest of tetras I still wouldn't keep them in a 10.
So yes, I'd agree to lose the gouramis. Maybe replace with a loan male dwarf gourami? Increase the number of black skirts to 6. That should set you up, otherwise, get a couple of cory cats rather than the gourami, I hear three at least is best. Sorry to hear that you fell victim to an unqualified fish store clerk, unfortunately it happens quite a lot. Definately do research like this before buying the fish I'd say. Hope all goes well
1. Two male gouramis will almost certainly not get on, especially in a tank as small as a 10. Gold gouramis can grow to 6 inches - only one can be kept in a 10. To check if they're males, look at the dorsal (top) fin. Pointed? you have a male. Rounded? female. Even with males AND females aggression can occur.
2. Black skirt tetras are nippy if not in a large enough shoal - at least 6. To tetras kept singly or in pairs, a gourami is just a very pretty yellow flag with floaty frondy things that nippy tetras and barbs will go at to their hearts' content.
3. A 10 gallon is, in the long run, too small for your current set-up. If the gouramis are both males, one needs to be taken back, and the black skirts need to increase in population size, though not being the smallest of tetras I still wouldn't keep them in a 10.
So yes, I'd agree to lose the gouramis. Maybe replace with a loan male dwarf gourami? Increase the number of black skirts to 6. That should set you up, otherwise, get a couple of cory cats rather than the gourami, I hear three at least is best. Sorry to hear that you fell victim to an unqualified fish store clerk, unfortunately it happens quite a lot. Definately do research like this before buying the fish I'd say. Hope all goes well
I've had as many as ten black skirt tetras in a school and still had trouble with their being nippy little buggers. I will never own them again. They are large tetras and so are unsuitable for a ten-gallon tank. What has been said about the gouramis is true too. A pair could do okay, but they never seem to have females at chain petstores.
I recommend taking all your fish back as you have been misinformed by store staff.
You could go with a school of six small tetras, such as neons, glowlights, rummynose, etc. You could also get some harlequin rasboras instead. My favorite ten-gallon setup had one male betta, four harlequin rasboras, two otocinclus (added after brown algae developed), some java moss and several java ferns, and a few stalks of fake bamboo to go with the Asian theme of the fish I chose.
HOWEVER.......................
FIRST, before bringing home new fish, please go to the top of the beginner forum and read the beginner stickies thoroughly, then come back here and ask all the questions you need to about establishing the nitrogen cycle of your tank. Educating yourself first will save you from watching your new fish suffer and die over the first few weeks.
I recommend taking all your fish back as you have been misinformed by store staff.
You could go with a school of six small tetras, such as neons, glowlights, rummynose, etc. You could also get some harlequin rasboras instead. My favorite ten-gallon setup had one male betta, four harlequin rasboras, two otocinclus (added after brown algae developed), some java moss and several java ferns, and a few stalks of fake bamboo to go with the Asian theme of the fish I chose.
HOWEVER.......................
FIRST, before bringing home new fish, please go to the top of the beginner forum and read the beginner stickies thoroughly, then come back here and ask all the questions you need to about establishing the nitrogen cycle of your tank. Educating yourself first will save you from watching your new fish suffer and die over the first few weeks.