Gouramis not Kissing

[Dave Peck]

Hello. Yesterday one of the area's more esteemed LFSs had an anniversary
sale so I trekked across town to stock up on filters and frozen food and
such, as well as some fish. They were buy 2 get the third free. I picked
up a Scarletti Shrimp and I also picked up 2 kissing Gourami's after being
told they'd fit in well. But, they aren't kissing each other. As a matter
of fact, the one that is a little bigger is chasing the other one all the
time, except at feeding time, when it chases every body. My cories love it
cause a lot more food is hitting the bottom, but I am concerned that the
smaller guys aren't getting enough, or anything, to eat.

The stats:
My first tank, up since a week before Christmas.
37g tall, Penguin 330.
3 small live grassy kind of plants and 1 big broad leaf sword-type plant
Ph 7.1, Temp 78, no Ammonia or Nitrite
6 tiger barbs of the different varieties, avg. 1.25 inches each
1 red-finned black shark, about 3.5 inches
4 different curies, all under 1 inch
2 blue flame tetras (aka Columbian tetras)
1 Scarletti shrimp
2 (Not) Kissing Gouramis

I rearranged some plants and decorations before adding the new fish.

My main question is, if I exchange the aggressive one for a non-gourami,
will the other gourami take over the bully role?

I had some gouramis before, but they didn't get along with the barbs, and
they seemed to beat on my live plants so I returned them.

I appreciate your suggestions!
--
Dave Peck

[NetMax]

" Dave Peck" > wrote in message
hlink.net...
> Hello. Yesterday one of the area's more esteemed LFSs had an
anniversary
> sale so I trekked across town to stock up on filters and frozen food
and
> such, as well as some fish. They were buy 2 get the third free. I
picked
> up a Scarletti Shrimp and I also picked up 2 kissing Gourami's after
being
> told they'd fit in well. But, they aren't kissing each other. As a
matter
> of fact, the one that is a little bigger is chasing the other one all
the
> time, except at feeding time, when it chases every body. My cories
love it
> cause a lot more food is hitting the bottom, but I am concerned that
the
> smaller guys aren't getting enough, or anything, to eat.
>
> The stats:
> My first tank, up since a week before Christmas.
> 37g tall, Penguin 330.
> 3 small live grassy kind of plants and 1 big broad leaf sword-type
plant
> Ph 7.1, Temp 78, no Ammonia or Nitrite
> 6 tiger barbs of the different varieties, avg. 1.25 inches each
> 1 red-finned black shark, about 3.5 inches
> 4 different curies, all under 1 inch
> 2 blue flame tetras (aka Columbian tetras)
> 1 Scarletti shrimp
> 2 (Not) Kissing Gouramis
>
> I rearranged some plants and decorations before adding the new fish.
>
> My main question is, if I exchange the aggressive one for a
non-gourami,
> will the other gourami take over the bully role?
>
> I had some gouramis before, but they didn't get along with the barbs,
and
> they seemed to beat on my live plants so I returned them.
>
> I appreciate your suggestions!
> --
> Dave Peck

Kissers are a bit of a pain, because they are somewhat hierarchical (if
I'm using the word correctly). With several of them, of the same size,
your chances are better. They set up their pecking order, and just
'kiss' periodically to keep their place in the order. Their kissing is
more comparable to our arm wrestling than kissing ;~). Just 2, and of
different sizes will only work when they are very young. I think you
would benefit from a larger tank with more Kissers, or just having one,
and hoping that he is a benign ruler (which they often can be). These
fish benefit from multiple feedings (high in vegetation), 3, 4 times a
day, and fed only once or twice a day, will not improve their disposition
one bit. hth
--
http://www.netmax.tk/

[Tony Kissell]

" Dave Peck" > wrote in message
hlink.net...
> Hello. Yesterday one of the area's more esteemed LFSs had an anniversary
> sale so I trekked across town to stock up on filters and frozen food and
> such, as well as some fish. They were buy 2 get the third free. I picked
> up a Scarletti Shrimp and I also picked up 2 kissing Gourami's after being
> told they'd fit in well. But, they aren't kissing each other. As a
> matter
> of fact, the one that is a little bigger is chasing the other one all the
> time, except at feeding time, when it chases every body. My cories love
> it
> cause a lot more food is hitting the bottom, but I am concerned that the
> smaller guys aren't getting enough, or anything, to eat.
>
> The stats:
> My first tank, up since a week before Christmas.
> 37g tall, Penguin 330.
> 3 small live grassy kind of plants and 1 big broad leaf sword-type plant
> Ph 7.1, Temp 78, no Ammonia or Nitrite
> 6 tiger barbs of the different varieties, avg. 1.25 inches each
> 1 red-finned black shark, about 3.5 inches
> 4 different curies, all under 1 inch
> 2 blue flame tetras (aka Columbian tetras)
> 1 Scarletti shrimp
> 2 (Not) Kissing Gouramis
>
> I rearranged some plants and decorations before adding the new fish.
>
> My main question is, if I exchange the aggressive one for a non-gourami,
> will the other gourami take over the bully role?
>
> I had some gouramis before, but they didn't get along with the barbs, and
> they seemed to beat on my live plants so I returned them.
>
> I appreciate your suggestions!
> --
> Dave Peck
>
>
Kissing Gouramis are my favourite fish, they look so stupid. with their big
eyes. I have kept them for over 15 years.

The kissing is actually a type of fighting.
I have found that the kissing usually begins in earnest after the fish have
settled into their tank for a week or two. Fish of a similar size seem to
kiss better than if there isn't too great a size difference. If the
difference in size is too great I have found that the smaller one just swims
a away.

Don't be disappointed if you have got a miss matched pair as far as size
goes as the dynamics can change as each fish goes through a growth stage.
The "boss" gourami in my tank at the moment started of as the smallest and
as he grew he would kiss with each of the other 4 as he (or she ) neared the
others size. Once he grew bigger than them the other fish no longer kissed
but swam away when challenged. The "boss" no longer kisses but the rest of
the group are at it all the time as they a similar size.

Regards,
Tony