Gourami help needed

[Tom]

Hello all,

I have a 30 gallon aquarium with a few fish, among which are two dwarf
gouramis...one blue and one red. I introduced them to the tank on
Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. The both adjusted well and
actively swam about the tank, but now a few days later, the blue
gourami hangs primarily in one of the corners at the surface of the
tank. Although occasionally he will swim to the middle or bottom of
the tank, he'll return to the surface and swim in a corner.

The temperature is set correctly and the pH and the ammonia levels are
safe. I have plenty of plants in the tank, as well as an airstone and
Whisper over-the-side-of-the-tank filter.

Any thoughts as to why he's doing this?

[Andy Pastuszak]

Tom wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I have a 30 gallon aquarium with a few fish, among which are two dwarf
> gouramis...one blue and one red. I introduced them to the tank on
> Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. The both adjusted well and
> actively swam about the tank, but now a few days later, the blue
> gourami hangs primarily in one of the corners at the surface of the
> tank. Although occasionally he will swim to the middle or bottom of
> the tank, he'll return to the surface and swim in a corner.
>
> The temperature is set correctly and the pH and the ammonia levels are
> safe. I have plenty of plants in the tank, as well as an airstone and
> Whisper over-the-side-of-the-tank filter.
>
> Any thoughts as to why he's doing this?


Is he perhaps trying to build a bubble nest on the surface?

Andy

[Gill Passman]

Andy Pastuszak wrote:

>
>
> Is he perhaps trying to build a bubble nest on the surface?
>
> Andy

Agreed that this seems the most likely explanation for the behaviour of
the DG......look out for shredded bits of plants being placed above
where he is hovering......

But....on another note keep an eye on him for general health as
well......it appears that he is behaving naturally but there are issues
with Dwarf Gouramis....the following links will give you more clues

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/blog.php?blogid=66
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/show_article.php?article_id=428
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=1139

I love them as fish but will no longer buy them......as the deaths just
broke my heart....

Gill

[expat[_2_]]

On Aug 9, 7:42*pm, Tom > wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I have a 30 gallon aquarium with a few fish, among which are two dwarf
> gouramis...one blue and one red. *I introduced them to the tank on
> Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. *The both adjusted well and
> actively swam about the tank, but now a few days later, the blue
> gourami hangs primarily in one of the corners at the surface of the
> tank. *Although occasionally he will swim to the middle or bottom of
> the tank, he'll return to the surface and swim in a corner.
>
> The temperature is set correctly and the pH and the ammonia levels are
> safe. *I have plenty of plants in the tank, as well as an airstone and
> Whisper over-the-side-of-the-tank filter.
>
> Any thoughts as to why he's doing this?

He is just doing typical Dwarf Gourami behavior. When I had them thats
what they did as well.

[Tom]

On Aug 10, 7:36*pm, expat > wrote:
> On Aug 9, 7:42*pm, Tom > wrote:
>
> > Hello all,
>
> > I have a 30 gallon aquarium with a few fish, among which are two dwarf
> > gouramis...one blue and one red. *I introduced them to the tank on
> > Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. *The both adjusted well and
> > actively swam about the tank, but now a few days later, the blue
> > gourami hangs primarily in one of the corners at the surface of the
> > tank. *Although occasionally he will swim to the middle or bottom of
> > the tank, he'll return to the surface and swim in a corner.
>
> > The temperature is set correctly and the pH and the ammonia levels are
> > safe. *I have plenty of plants in the tank, as well as an airstone and
> > Whisper over-the-side-of-the-tank filter.
>
> > Any thoughts as to why he's doing this?
>
> He is just doing typical Dwarf Gourami behavior. When I had them thats
> what they *did as well.

I'm not exactly sure what a bubble nest is. I thought the problem
might be that there wasn't enough oxygen in the water, so I got out
another air pump and a small air stone. I put it in the corner where
he liked to hover. Now he usually parks himself behind a plant.
Sometimes he sits down on the gravel, and other times his fins will be
swimming.

I'm just not exactly sure if there's a problem or not. The day and
the day after I got him, he was one of the most active fish I've ever
seen, now he just hides behind plants. I know gouramis are pretty
skidish and they both have ample hiding spots. On the other hand
though, his appetite is healthy.

[expat[_2_]]

On Aug 10, 9:46*pm, Tom > wrote:
> On Aug 10, 7:36*pm, expat > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Aug 9, 7:42*pm, Tom > wrote:
>
> > > Hello all,
>
> > > I have a 30 gallon aquarium with a few fish, among which are two dwarf
> > > gouramis...one blue and one red. *I introduced them to the tank on
> > > Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. *The both adjusted well and
> > > actively swam about the tank, but now a few days later, the blue
> > > gourami hangs primarily in one of the corners at the surface of the
> > > tank. *Although occasionally he will swim to the middle or bottom of
> > > the tank, he'll return to the surface and swim in a corner.
>
> > > The temperature is set correctly and the pH and the ammonia levels are
> > > safe. *I have plenty of plants in the tank, as well as an airstone and
> > > Whisper over-the-side-of-the-tank filter.
>
> > > Any thoughts as to why he's doing this?
>
> > He is just doing typical Dwarf Gourami behavior. When I had them thats
> > what they *did as well.
>
> I'm not exactly sure what a bubble nest is. *I thought the problem
> might be that there wasn't enough oxygen in the water, so I got out
> another air pump and a small air stone. *I put it in the corner where
> he liked to hover. *Now he usually parks himself behind a plant.
> Sometimes he sits down on the gravel, and other times his fins will be
> swimming.
>
> I'm just not exactly sure if there's a problem or not. *The day and
> the day after I got him, he was one of the most active fish I've ever
> seen, now he just hides behind plants. *I know gouramis are pretty
> skidish and they both have ample hiding spots. *On the other hand
> though, his appetite is healthy.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Gourami are what is called a Labryinth type fish, meaning that they
can breathe air directly from the surface of the water, and are not
dependant on oxygen content in the water itself. Now do not get the
idea that you can let water parameters go, because that is furthest
from the truth, but in general oxygen levels or low levels of it are
not usually a problem for labrinth type fish (gourami and betta, and
paradise etc.

A bubble nest is exactly what it sounds like. A nest of bubbles the
fish makes usually in a corner of the tank or in a thicket of floating
plants or under a leaf at the surface of the water where he as the
adult male will place any eggs from breeding with the female, and
tends to them until they hatch etc. Its not uncommon for most any
bubble nest builder to build a nest as such even if there is no female
in the tank. They just have some good wishfull thinking that a femal
is going to come along that is ready to breed. But some need the
presence of a female around to get them enticed to build a nest, it
all just depends on each individual fish,a s it can go both ways with
building a nest. Some will even get into nest building after a large
water change. I really do not think you have anayhting to worry about
with the fish to be honest about it. Its just doing the gourami sort
of thing.

[Jeff Tilt]

Does the tank offer any hiding places?


"Tom" > wrote in message
...
> Hello all,
>
> I have a 30 gallon aquarium with a few fish, among which are two dwarf
> gouramis...one blue and one red. I introduced them to the tank on
> Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. The both adjusted well and
> actively swam about the tank, but now a few days later, the blue
> gourami hangs primarily in one of the corners at the surface of the
> tank. Although occasionally he will swim to the middle or bottom of
> the tank, he'll return to the surface and swim in a corner.
>
> The temperature is set correctly and the pH and the ammonia levels are
> safe. I have plenty of plants in the tank, as well as an airstone and
> Whisper over-the-side-of-the-tank filter.
>
> Any thoughts as to why he's doing this?