Agressive Blue Gourami

sweetwaterarabians

I have an older blue gourami that I've had for several years. He's about 4 yrs old now. Right now he's in his own tank (20 gallons) because I decided to get some guppies for my community tank. When I purchased him I bought 2 other blue gouramis but he quickly killed them. Anytime I added another gourami to the tank of any kind he'd kill it. He would also show agression to some other types of fish and leave others alone. I've had gouramis before but never had one this agressive.

I'm looking for a couple of tank mates in his 20 gallon. Should I try getting him a female and try to mate them or is a 20 gallon tank out of the question for that. I'd like to have some sort of catfish that can keep my sand clean. I had a few goldfish with him 2 gold and one white colored. He chased the white one horribly. He just had something against that color. I wondered if he thought it was another gourami for some reason. Any ideas on tank mates for one this agressive?

Lupin

It will be too risky to try another gourami regardless of size. A 20 gallons may not have enough space to allow the female to escape. Male anabantids can easily torment the females if they fail to spawn and in this case, you have to watch both closely.

As for catfish, some small species of plecs such as ancistrus and cories might work. Do provide them however plenty of plants, slates and driftwoods to hide in case your gourami tries to attack them.

sweetwaterarabians

Well, so much for buddies for him. He kicked the bucket yesterday morning from old age. I started to notice that he just didn't look his normal self and started to look worse and worse. I thought they lived about 5 years but it's 4. I've had him for about 4 years so he was on up there. It was bitter sweet seeing him go. I hated how he was agressive to the other fish but I loved him because I had him for so long. He's the second blue gourami I've had until old age. The first one was a female so she was never a problem with other fish.

May he swim in the waters of the River of Life in Heaven.