Help! My Dwarf Gourami is just sitting in a corner by itself. What should I do?

**FishyBoy 1275** · 03-03-2013, 06:23 PM

The other day, I bought dwarf gourami's one male and one female, both were fine when I put them in, but later on I noticed some bite marks on one of them and it was sitting in a corner by itself and now has been for two days; but the other one is fine and eating well whereas I have not seen the one in the corner eat yet and is keeping itself upright using its side fins and seems to be breathing a little fast. The other fish I have in my 200 litre tank are: Harlequin Rasbora's, White cloud mountain minnows, A Boesmani Rainbow, 2 male mollies, A fire eel, 2 Khulie loach, A featherfin catfish, 2 Plecostmus, A hoplosternum catfish, 2 corydoras. could someone please tell me the one who may have been biting the dwarf gourami please. The pH is around 6.0 and the temp is 27 degrees celsius. Thanks in advance

**dr_lew** · 03-03-2013, 06:33 PM

Three questions:

1. How did you acclimate your gouramis?

2. What size is your tank. That sounds like an awful lot of fish

3. Have you taken readings of Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate? What were the results?

**FishyBoy 1275** · 03-03-2013, 06:53 PM

My tank is 200 litres, not sure on the exact measurements but is very long and quite tall and is also quite wide. I will be getting my water tested tomorrow. And I left the fish in a bag for half an hour to get them used to the temperature and let them in. I felt no need to quarantine as I never have; because the shop I buy them from is very trustworthy and all the fish look healthy. As with the Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrate I suspect to be quite low as I have not had a problem with any of my fish since May last year.

**FishyBoy 1275** · 03-03-2013, 07:02 PM

I have just now seen it swimming around outside of the corner, and seen just how big the chunk out of its tail is. Would you also know which fish has caused this?

**MandyK** · 03-03-2013, 07:05 PM

So you're looking at about a 50 gallon.

Okey, dokey. Rule #1 -- 1 Gourami to a tank unless EXTREMELY HEAVILY planted, and it's risky even then. Your other Gourami is most likely being bullied the healthy Gourami.

In your stock list I count at least 3 different species that require a school of at least 6. You'll be better off (and so will your fish) if you nix a species or two, and the up the numbers of the others.

Also--- you should really, REALLY have your own API Test kit. I have no idea how people manage to keep fish without one of these things. I mean I know they do, but I'd be lost without mine. It'll save you lots of worry and travel time assuming you are having your water tested at a store.

**ScottishFish** · 03-03-2013, 07:10 PM

1 gourami battered your other gourami.

After it was weaker and sitting on the bottom i would not be surprised if your featherfin and fire eel had a bite at it when the lights went out.

To prevent this from happening again research your intended stock beforehand. This forum is a wealth of knowledge waiting to be used.

**FishyBoy 1275** · 03-05-2013, 05:36 PM

Thanks for all the help guys, but sadly I found it dead when I woke up; it was very sad but luckily I still have 1, the more colourful male.

**FishyBoy 1275** · 03-05-2013, 05:42 PM

Thanks for all the help guys, but when I woke up this morning I found it dead; it was very sad. But luckily I still have 1, the more colourful male.

**nikelodeon79** · 03-06-2013, 02:42 AM

Just a note: Finding Dwarf gourami females is very difficult. Did they look similar? If so, they were likely both male. Females are smaller, larger, and less colorful.

Even if you did somehow end up with a female, the male still might have bullied her to death. It's generally better to have two females and one male, or just a lone male.