Cracked the Key to Giant Gourami Aggression

[Rafini]

I've been reading a lot lately that people are asking a lot of questions about Giant Gourami's (GG's) and people are saying that they can be aggressive or that they don't play well with other fish, But after a bit of experimenting I have cracked it. Now at first I thought that my Gourami had a problem with the chocolate cichlid because the chocolate used to pick on him when he was smaller, and I read that they hate silvery fish which would explain why he loves chasing my tinfoil barbs.

However I was wrong, he recently relentlessly attacked my chocolate cichlid who after I attempted to let him heal had to be put down. Now why is it that the Gourami ignores my other stock but will pursue the chocolate cichlid and tinfoils ?

The best I could come up with is that they are territorial fish and they will fight with their own kind quite aggressively, It occured to me earlier today that with the chocolate now gone the only rounded shaped fish in the aquarium are the tinfoils. So I believe it is actually the SHAPE of the fish that causes the gourami to assert its dominance. I have watched the gourami chase the tinfoils right past my bichirs or gar and completely ignore their existance.

So to anyone looking on getting one of these fish and is worried about them being aggressive to their tankmates, it should work fine if you have elongated tankmates that do not resemble the gourami. I have a male and he is quite dominant but he has literally NEVER even shown interest in an elongated species.

here is a short list of fish I have found that work great with no confrontation,

Snakeheads
Pleco's
Asian upside down catfish
Achara catfish
all species of Bichir
Gar species
Knife fish


I hope this helps those out there that are interested in this fish but are not sure how to progress. they are AMAZINGLY intelligent and very personable, if you have the room to house one I would suggest going for it. They are fast growers but they tend to bulk faster than they gain length so they can stay in a grow out for quite a while, mine grew from 8" - 14"/15" in 9 months now.

 

[Thelatinofishlover]

nice! great info on an amizing fish

 

[aclockworkorange]

I would assume this to be correct in some circumstances, similar to a lot of large aggressive cichlids. I've never seen a big cichlid go after a big clown loach--not saying it never happens, but I've never seen it.


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[Thelatinofishlover]

I would assume this to be correct in some circumstances, similar to a lot of large aggressive cichlids. I've never seen a big cichlid go after a big clown loach--not saying it never happens, but I've never seen it.


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i have i've seen an oscar attack a clown loach just cause it was borde i guess

 

[aclockworkorange]

i have i've seen an oscar attack a clown loach just cause it was borde i guess

There's no steadfast rules for stocking potentially aggressive fish. The fish in my avatar has killed a number of fish, but will let my clown loaches pick food out of his mouth.


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[Thelatinofishlover]

There's no steadfast rules for stocking potentially aggressive fish. The fish in my avatar has killed a number of fish, but will let my clown loaches pick food out of his mouth.


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haha very awesome man

 

[Rafini]

I'm not claiming this is gospel, just based on my findings I have found the above to be true. some GG's are peaceful and won't bother anything, but they are usually not as territorial as say a cichlid. Large cichlids won't let anything in their territory, I've had them kill bichirs or catfish for being in their territory. With the GG I don't think its so much about having the territory to itself, its mostly about not being threatened by any similar fish that could displace its power, the fish is not a natural predator so It doesn't see them as competitors, but simply doesn't like other similar fish existing in the same area. the same thing can be seen in a lot of other conspecific aggressive fish.

 

[syddakyd]

tank size...decorations(breaks up lines of sight)....making sure the fish look dissimilar(aka not a threat to their niche).

 

[MyGiants]

My Giant Redtail gouramy never messed with any fish similar shape. Mine would mess with long sender fish one in particular which made me separate them to eventually trade them away.

 

[Rafini]

My Giant Redtail gouramy never messed with any fish similar shape. Mine would mess with long sender fish one in particular which made me separate them to eventually trade them away.

Gourami are all different, and some have been known to just refuse to have tankmates. and obviously they are all different maybe you were just unfortunate? I have read many times that they hate silvery fish.

and yes as syddakyd said breaking up the line of site does help a lot