# Is it normal for a female dwarf gourami to be aggressive towards a male



## Fishychic (Dec 7, 2008)

My old Gourami finally died today  I tried everything 

So I went out and bought another male dwarf gourami and the SECOND he was in the tank she shot straight to him and was tail slappin him in the face! He doesn't fight back but keeps swimming to avoid her. She swims on her side while she follows him. It's weird. If he doesn't move for a couple seconds, she nips him on his tail.

Is this normal?


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## alliecat420 (Mar 28, 2009)

gouramis are mean.. bottom line.. some people have never had problems.. but more people.. have serious problems.. like whats going on with yours.. one is establishing dominance (be it male or female) and then inforcing it's dominice on the new commers of the tank.. i think you'd be best to stick with just one gourami.. they would be happier that way


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## Fishychic (Dec 7, 2008)

I keep getting mixed advice. People are saying, "oh gourami's should be kept in pairs, male and female"! Then I get people who say they shouldn't be together.

Does temperament differ from a regular gourami and a dwarf gourami?


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## alliecat420 (Mar 28, 2009)

no not really.. they tend to have Cichlid like behaviors... in keeping them in pairs..i have herd to keep them 2 females per one male.. i have herd this works in some instances.. but unless you have so large of a tank that they could literally lose eachother.. i personally dont seguest trying to keep them in pairs or more..... i also think the people who sucessfully keep pairs must have gotten lucky and had a pair that may have been brother and sister (in which case they MAY get along better) but being that you have one in the tank who is seeking out and picking on new comers.. i would say he/she thinks that that is her/his tank.. and will keep it that way.... people also tend to forget that most fish arnt like people in the sense that they need "company" most fish would perfer to be alone.. unless they are schoaling fish.. or fish who have chosen a life partner

sorry that was so long


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

You could try swapping females, but there is no guarantee there will be any difference. 

Also- Are you positive the Gourami is a female? They are harder to get in general so that is why I ask. 2 males will be aggressive to each other for certain. The on her side as she swims at him is definitely aggressive behavior (as opposed to something like being mean out of an attempt to breed, which can get pretty mean looking at times). The biggest danger with this is that she/he will again chase the other one to the point that it dies of stress.


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