Divided Tank?

Tetrabetta12

Hello Everyone, i have a ten gallon planted tank with 4 Dwarf Gourami in it. My two original Gourami are being a little aggressive to my newly added pair. So i divided the two pairs 50/50 in the tank. My goal is to remove the divider in a few days and let the new and older fish reestablish territories. Im just wondering if the divider is causing any harm to the fish, and if there is a potential for the divider to work? Thanks.

JDM

Seeing as dwarf gourami are recommended to be in a 24" tank for a single pair, I'm afraid that your experiment is doomed to failure seeing as a ten gallon isn't quite large enough for just the first pair... although it may be close for the first if you happen to have a 20" long ten gallon. They're listed as very territorial, particularly with other gourami.

Sorry.

Jeff.

Tetrabetta12

I Lifted the Divider last night and what do you know!! They stop being aggressive to each other. They have established their boundaries and will sometimes go into the territorial display, but not often!!

JDM

I'll tell you what... I'll say my piece, (most of which will be the opinions of fish keepers who have a much better knowledge than I), you read it and take it as you will, I won't argue any points and you don't need to defend any points (unless you want to) and then I'll shut up about it.

I'd love to be wrong. Did you even read the profiles? The fish name is highlighted and you can click to see it but I will post it here anyway. Although I will be the first to admit that the profile information can be bent somewhat (I do have a betta in a community tank after all) you probably will not get away with bending almost everything as you are now.

""Both shy and territorial, this fish can be maintained in a larger community aquarium with peaceful and quiet tankmates but usually not other gourami or active, boisterous fish. Males are territorial with other males. Sometimes other brightly-coloured fish will cause this fish to become aggressive. Should be maintained in sexed pairs only.""

""Minimum Tank Suggestion

24 inches in length for a pair.""

"Males attain 3 inches [some sources say slightly larger], females are smaller at 2.5 inches."

That's just the gourami factor.

Now, add that to a ten gallon tank with 8 tetras and 2 platties which makes it a fullish load BEFORE adding 2 gourami that will get to 2" - 3" and another 2.... I know the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule is very flexible but 28" of fish in a 10 gallon?

Add soft water fish with hard water fish in whatever water you happen to have.

Here's the aqadvisor bit, even though this isn't my first "go to" for advice, it is another opinion:

Warning: At least 5 x Silvertip Tetra are recommended in a group.
Suggestion: If you want to keep more than 1 Platy, minimum recommend male to female ratio is 1:2 (M:F). You will be less likely to experience problem if you get even more females.
Warning: At least 5 x Neon Tetra are recommended in a group.

Recommended temperature range: 73.4 - 77 F. [Display in Celsius]
Recommended pH range: 6 - 7.5.
Recommended hardness range: 5 - 15 dH.

Warning: You NEED to add more aquarium filtration capacity!!!

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 48%.
Recommended water change schedule: 57% per week. (You might want to split this water change schedule to two separate 34% per week)
Your aquarium stocking level is 153%.
Your tank is overstocked. Unless you are an experienced aquarist who can meet the maintenance/biological needs of this aquarium, lower stocking levels are recommended.

Take as you will.

Jeff.

Nilet699

I'll go ahead and post my opinion here too Jeff, as that post appeared to start off rather hostile and obnoxious.

Bettas are NOT a community fish. YET YOU have them in a community.

Gouramis are not USUALLY (as you highlighted) good as above. But it CAN work.

Don't be hostile on rules/guidance when you willingly break them yourself.

I have 2 male dwarf blue neon gouramis in a large community tank...........they behave almost as a mated pair half the time, the best of friends. There are ALWAYS exceptions to the rules because they are NOT rules. There are zero rules and nothing is guaranteed 100% of the time.

OH.... i also have an empty tank running incase there are problems with the above etc.......do you? Nope.

The profile are not gods gift to information....they are only a guide based a lot of the time, on one mans experience/research.

My apologies, but its not my thread, yet I took offense at how previous was posted.

JDM

Hmmm.... I certainly did not intend it that way and I can see, upon an objective re-reading how it could appear harsh.

Having said that, there are quite a few things going on here that won't allow but one or two exceptions long term.... and I stand by my statements and material as I quoted.

Perhaps if Tetrabetta ignores any tone or seeming hostility and takes the information at it's face value, it may yet be of some worth to his/her fish.

Jeff.

FishyFishy89

I do not believe Jeff's posts were harsh at all. Then again, I can take constructive criticism.

I do believe the OP's tank is overstocked and that if he or she wants the 2 pairs to live long term together, then the OP should upgrade the tank.

I've personally seen 2 gourami pairs in a 20 gallon tear each other up because of lacking space. This was in my best friend's mother's tank. She now only has 1 gourami left along with a select few other fish.

SaintCaleb

I keep four gourami in my community of one hundred twenty five gallons. I have not had an issue until recently my five inch blue female passed. I had my wife pick up another. It appears male and is picked on by the other blue. The new gourami is now in my extra twenty gallon. :( I'll fix him up and hopefully trade at a later date.

There is my example.

trombonedemon

O.k., here is my take, sooooo take it or leave it. Through the few years I've been seriously into Fish keeping, I've realized that Fish have personas like humans.

If you give them more room the calmer your fish will be and aggresiveness will be far and few between; of course there are exceptions.

Get yourself a 20 gallon long aquarium from Petsmart, Petco, and or Walmart and call a it a problem solved. 30 bucks at the most, maybe cheaper from Wal-Mart.

Tetrabetta12

Hey Guys, i didn't find any posts offensive as i too can take constructive criticism. Im might look into getting either a 20 gallon long or a standard 30 gallon. For now the Gouramis seem to be doing ok as they really are not bothering each other. The only problem i had was my Flame dwarf Was a little territorial at the beginning, but now he has had the Other male in his territory for a week now and really does not care at this point Lol.