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Post by bgcat249 on Feb 15, 2017 16:01:35 GMT -5
Hello, Certainly no rush to answer this question. I have had a pearl gourami in my 55 gallon tank for at least a year. I literally never see the fish and have written off the fish as deceased at least 5 times. When she appears it is VERY fleetingly. Her tank mates are 4 gold barbs, 3 black neons, 9 neons and 4 active platies. She does not hang out at the top but rather the bottom. If I turn out all house lights and wait for 10 minutes she may appear to take some food and is not bullied by anyone when eating. She drives others Off! The minute I walk past the tank she dives for cover...I do nothing to scare her at all. Does this sound like a happy fish? I feel like she has a terrible quality of life, terrified. Should I bring her back to the pets tore? I have had pearls before but never one like this. I thought she would come around but if anything I think she is getting worse.
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Post by devonjohnsgard on Feb 15, 2017 18:00:14 GMT -5
Sounds like a gourami to me TBH... They're simi-aggressive fish and when there's a group of them, you will notice a pecking order. Last when I had a group of them, I would have one chase the other two. The two would hide a lot, but even the one doing the chasing would hide too.
So, consider if another fish is picking on her, or maybe consider getting a group of them, so they'll a little more natural.
I've also had the dominate fish become the less dominate fish and the less dominate become dominate. All based on environment.
Hope that helps!
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Post by bgcat249 on Feb 16, 2017 13:31:38 GMT -5
But that,s just it...when she is out no one picks on her..she stands her ground and then goes back to hiding. They are intimidated by her. Would another gourami help? Or is that unknown?
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Post by devonjohnsgard on Feb 16, 2017 13:58:26 GMT -5
I think gouramis just hide. That's what they do. If you get another, they would both just hide. If you have a school of them, it might force them not to hide because there would be too many for how many hiding spots they have.
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Post by bgcat249 on Feb 16, 2017 20:38:13 GMT -5
I understand...thanks. very frustrating not to be able to look at the most beautiful fish in the tank. And still not sure this fish is happy in this tank or needs to re-homed.
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Post by devonjohnsgard on Feb 17, 2017 14:17:23 GMT -5
That's how I felt. I have a tank of gouramis and I never see them!!!
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Post by bgcat249 on Feb 19, 2017 22:58:29 GMT -5
I see beautiful aquarium videos with happy gouramis swimming around, not hiding and I think there has GOT to be something about this environment that makes my pearl so terrified (gold barbs that are active? But leave her alone?)
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Post by Carl on Feb 20, 2017 10:25:04 GMT -5
I see beautiful aquarium videos with happy gouramis swimming around, not hiding and I think there has GOT to be something about this environment that makes my pearl so terrified (gold barbs that are active? But leave her alone?) This really is not all that unusual for a tank of this size with just one gourami among other fish as you have. This is likely a submissive fish and adding one or two more gouramis likely will not help either, as their will then likely be a dominance struggle. It might take several more gouramis to get this guy more active Carl
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Post by bgcat249 on Feb 20, 2017 22:26:04 GMT -5
Thank you so much for your insights Carl. I appreciate it
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