mean pearl gourami

[shadypat]

i have a pearl gourami in a 46 gallon planted tank. he isnt big at all, and up to this point has been friendly to the cherry barbs and flying fox. I added a few more fish today, and he has become super territorial, lunging at any fish that comes out in the open. my odessa barbs are big and fast enough to tolerate it. but my cherry barb and my new honey gourami are very timid now. luckily theres tons of hiding space. Should I exchange the pearl for a moonlight? Because i plan on adding tetras, so i guess he will undoubtedly terriorize those

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Pearls are acutally supposed to be one of the more passive gourami types...right after dwarf gouramis. However, gouramis are related to bettas and usually won't tollerate another gourami in the tank, especially if both are males. I'm not surprised that he would go after the honey gourami...which is a type of dwarf gourami and probably smaller, right?

I don't think that exchanging the pearl for a moonlight would help anything. I would take the honey gourami out for at least a little while and see if that seems to help...the honey and pearl would be competing for top space, anyway.

He may just be upset about the other gourami, and be aggressive in general because of it. Was he aggressive at all before you added the second gourami?

I've had a pearl with both cherry barbs and black neon tetras before without any problem, but it did get very aggressive to a littler opaline gourami when I tried to add it.

 

[Iggy]

Pearls do chase other fish for territory, especially other gouramies. I would watch them closely for a while just to make sure no serious fighting is happening. Give it a few weeks and see if they adjust.

 

[shadypat]

He was nowhere near as bad before the new fish. Maybe things will settle down in a few days...however I know he wont like it if I add tetras, so maybe he should go now...The cherry barb doesnt get to play with the pair of odessa barbs anymore now, they all hide.

 

[shadypat]

Well, last night I did a another water change, and I reanged the plants so I have 2 ozelot swords in the center of the the tank. I have read that the change in terrirory may settle him down. Or he could simply have gotten used to his tankmaktes. He has completely setled down. Yesterday No other fish could be seen in the open, the gourami attacked any fish to come in the terriroy. But now all my fish are playing with each other, including the pearl gourami. and even the little honey gourami isnt shy anymore.