Cracked the Key to Giant Gourami Aggression

[Longfindragon]

Just bought a 5 inch giant gourami and wanted to put my 2 cents in in case anyone is doing research (like me.) I have a small spotted pike characin that he has been attacking for hours...totally different body shape but the characin was long and slender and silvery. Such a shame I'm going to have to take him back.

 

[Stratoquarius]

Yeah they really hate Silvery colored fish. They ignore large cichlids even if they have a similar body shape.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Interesting hypothesis in the OP. I must say I have seen pros and cons to it IME.

Even among themselves, some of my GG's display limited aggression to each other while others don't at all, both in smaller tanks like 200 gal and larger tanks like 4000 gal.

I have not done my homework to figure out a rhyme or reason and I admire those that have tried or trying.

 

[jwh]

My gg owns the left 1/3 of a 500g tank, will chase arowana and tin foils from this area, but red tail gourami, cichlids, poly's etc. are completely tolerated. When the gg moves from this area, it hardly bothers any of the fish in the the rest of the tank. My experience is that top swimming fish, and mid to top level fish in silvery/ golden colour seems to trigger agression irrespective of body shape, and are at greater risk when entering its area. It mostly shoulder charges them, biting almost never happens.

 

[jlnguyen74]

Can we just say hit and miss? Cracked the key is way over compliment.

 

[jlnguyen74]

Seriously, there's no key to crack. GG with silvery fish...

 

[jlnguyen74]

GG with silvery fish and round shape, aggressive cichlids like Oscar, Red Devil, Umbee

 

[Vlekkie]

I've got a 25inch GG ans she stays with 2 tiger oscars(both males) and lutino tiger oscar(female) and a lemon oscar(female). The GG will only bite every second week the aggressive oscar. Once every second weed the oscar bully the GG and the GG get fedup. She won't bully the oscar at all. She will only bite him 2 or 3 times, then he will leave her alone for 2 weeks.

 

[esoxlucius]

Interesting info on GG's. I bought one at 5" and she's in a tank with tinfoils, balas, clowns, dennisons and plecs (all around the 5" mark). Funnily enough the only fish she'll have a go at are the tinfoils. She has an amazing relationship with the clowns, she mothers them at feeding time, chasing the greedy tinfoils away to let the clowns eat. I'm hoping things don't get too boisterous as they get bigger.

 

[f22]

My albino GG is a total nightmare. Chases almost everything but only in short bursts... Usually calms down after about a 12" run and calms down.