Depressed or Lonely Gourami?

[LovelyMamasita]

New here with a gourami question. I have a dwarf honey sunset gourami, I've had her for about 6 months. She's very active and friendly, coming to play with me when I'm cleaning or feeding and will even eat right out of my hand. The last week or so, she's been hanging near the bottom of the tank in her favorite corner, which I've never noticed her at the bottom before. She doesn't seem ill. Could she be lonely and need a boyfriend? I have a widely varied community, and have also recently noticed my betta's fins are being nipped, but am unable to find the culprit. Could the betta be annoying her? Any help would be great!

[mitcore]

she may just be resting, as for the betta it is likely do you have a female in there for him?

does she still feed out of your hand?

[LovelyMamasita]

I have two females for the male betta, he has plenty to do. The Gourami does still eat from my hand, I think it's so cool. She also comes over and nibbles my arm when I'm cleaning the tank.

[CAX474]

I have two females for the male betta, he has plenty to do. The Gourami does still eat from my hand, I think it's so cool. She also comes over and nibbles my arm when I'm cleaning the tank.

You should try cleaning my tanks its like the Gouramis have become Parana!! Im lucky to get my arm back. lol:c5:

[NickFish]

The gourami might just be resting. Or shy if there is a lot of noise in your house that there wasn't before. All my fish were kind of skittish during the holidays cause all my family was over and they all wanted to feed my fish and tap the glass and jump up and down until the tank falls off it's stand.
Is there something wrong with its appearence? Does it look funny or have any white dots on it?


You should try cleaning my tanks its like the Gouramis have become Parana!! Im lucky to get my arm back. lol

Ya I'm thankful they don't have teeth. How DO you clean a carnivors tank like a piranha tank without getting bit? My danios sort of swarm and have a feeding frenzy around my hand for a few seconds.

[CAX474]

Ya I'm thankful they don't have teeth. How DO you clean a carnivors tank like a piranha tank without getting bit? My danios sort of swarm and have a feeding frenzy around my hand for a few seconds.

VERY VERY VERY Carefully!:jaws:

[LovelyMamasita]

Is there something wrong with its appearence? Does it look funny or have any white dots on it?

Not particularly, he doesn't have any spots or obvious signs of being ill. I just took a really good look at him (yeah, now I think it's a male, the dorsal is very pointed, maybe he's just annoyed I've been calling him a girl all this time) and his tail is chomped in one spot. I'm thinking my betta and he are re-establishing territories. They're so sneaky about it, I've never seen them do it! But considering the betta is nibbled and the gourami is nibbled, seems they're nibbling each other.

[lasm]

I had a betta for a while in my 20g community while I was fixing some problems with it 10g tank. First he was shy, but after he knew were he was he started bothering my power blue dwarf gourami.

I think your betta may be bothering your gourami.

[LovelyMamasita]

Oh dear. I guess Mr. Betta and his lovely brides will have to move.

[MeganL3985]

Hi There! Glad you see you made it onto the site! :)

Have you tried rearranging your tank? I had to do that when my gourami's got territorial and starting nipping. (As I mentioned before) Its like one wanted to take over the whole tank! So far i've had a lot of good come out of the redo. More places to hide, takes longer for them to find each other, etc. lol
Does seem sad though that they've been fine together for 6 months and now the nipping. :(

[Tolley]

Your female bettas should be ok with with him, but yeah i suggest moving the male betta. or get a tank divider?

[LovelyMamasita]

I have plenty of hiding places. The Gourami used to stay on the left side of the tank behind a plant and a large plastic rock that aerated (it's almost as tall as the tank) and the betta was always on the right behind leafy plants and some natural rocks. There's also a larger area in the rear center that has plants, a flower pot and some rocks to hide in, along with a cave. It seems the Gourami wants to be where the betta stays. He seems to want to agitate him. I'm wondering if I got him a girlfriend if he'd be better or worse.

[Tolley]

What size is the tank?

[LovelyMamasita]

It's 55 gallons. I have a 10g I can set up for the bettas to get them out of the gourami's hair.

["the"Trinity]

It's 55 gallons. I have a 10g I can set up for the bettas to get them out of the gourami's hair.

That would probably be a good idea . . . Male Gouramis and Bettas are closely related and notorious for not getting along and fighting each other. I would seperate them ASAP.

TT