Blue Gourami's - Brooklyn Aquarium Society

Bonnie · October 15th, 2012, 07:34 PM

I have 2 BG's and they've been in the tank since the beginning(2 years). I'm pretty sure I have 2 females, the dorsal fins are alongated back and rounded not pointy. Can they come into breeding mode
even though there isn't a male. They went from being silvery blue to dark blue striped, and just plain acting weird. One is hiding in the petricolas cave(pvc elbow) and the other is haning out in a corner, which is not like them. And they're running away when I approach the tank which is also not like them, they eat from my hand usually. They do look beautiful, just acting strange for them.

**stevem** · October 16th, 2012, 04:19 PM

have you checked your water parameters, ammonia nitrate, nitrite, ph etc
is there any new fish recentlyadded?
have you recently moved thing around in the tank?

Bonnie · October 16th, 2012, 05:51 PM

My params are good, they're in the same tank as the petricolas's are in, 0 amm,nitrite and 0-5ppm nitrates, the ph is 6.0.
They're healthy looking, just acting a bit strange. Their color is now very dark blue stripes. I guess I'll just keep an eye on them and see if there's another change. Maybe now that I gave the tank a good cleaning and the ph will hopefully go up maybe that's it and they'll change back to themselves.

JoeyG · October 16th, 2012, 11:30 PM

Bonnie,

Your pH is the problem. Both the goramies and the synodontis require a pH of app. 7.4. I would slowly raise the pH by using baking soda. In a 30 gallon to a 55 gallon a couple of tablespoons and then a few hours later test the pH. Wait a couple of days before you add more baking soda. In this way you will gradually increase the pH without stressing the fish. I would add live plants to the tank as goramies love plants. Maintain the temp. at 75-80 degrees F.
This should help!
Joe

Bonnie · October 17th, 2012, 10:48 AM

Thanks JoeyG I've been working on the PH with the petricola's. I originally had 7.0 PH. Like I said on another post I really moved things around and cleaned really well. I'll do that from now on instead of just vacuuming and replacing 30g's a week. Someone gave me directions for adding baking soda. I've been a little afraid to try it but will do it tonight and see what happens. I honestly don't think it's the PH with the Gourami's, they've been fine, it's only in the past week. The PH has been low for quite some time now. I've been told so many different things, it gets confusing. Some people don't believe PH matters at all, obviously it must.

October 15th, 2012, 07:34 PM	#1
Bonnie Fry Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brooklyn,NY Posts: 75 Rep Power: 28	Blue Gourami's I have 2 BG's and they've been in the tank since the beginning(2 years). I'm pretty sure I have 2 females, the dorsal fins are alongated back and rounded not pointy. Can they come into breeding mode even though there isn't a male. They went from being silvery blue to dark blue striped, and just plain acting weird. One is hiding in the petricolas cave(pvc elbow) and the other is haning out in a corner, which is not like them. And they're running away when I approach the tank which is also not like them, they eat from my hand usually. They do look beautiful, just acting strange for them.

October 16th, 2012, 04:19 PM	#2
stevem Super Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 687 Rep Power: 34	bg's have you checked your water parameters, ammonia nitrate, nitrite, ph etc is there any new fish recentlyadded? have you recently moved thing around in the tank?

October 16th, 2012, 11:30 PM	#4
JoeyG Fry Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 73 Rep Power: 32	Blue Gorami issue Bonnie, Your pH is the problem. Both the goramies and the synodontis require a pH of app. 7.4. I would slowly raise the pH by using baking soda. In a 30 gallon to a 55 gallon a couple of tablespoons and then a few hours later test the pH. Wait a couple of days before you add more baking soda. In this way you will gradually increase the pH without stressing the fish. I would add live plants to the tank as goramies love plants. Maintain the temp. at 75-80 degrees F. This should help! Joe

October 16th, 2012, 05:51 PM	#3
Bonnie Fry Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brooklyn,NY Posts: 75 Rep Power: 28	My params are good, they're in the same tank as the petricolas's are in, 0 amm,nitrite and 0-5ppm nitrates, the ph is 6.0. They're healthy looking, just acting a bit strange. Their color is now very dark blue stripes. I guess I'll just keep an eye on them and see if there's another change. Maybe now that I gave the tank a good cleaning and the ph will hopefully go up maybe that's it and they'll change back to themselves.

October 17th, 2012, 10:48 AM	#5
Bonnie Fry Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brooklyn,NY Posts: 75 Rep Power: 28	Thanks JoeyG I've been working on the PH with the petricola's. I originally had 7.0 PH. Like I said on another post I really moved things around and cleaned really well. I'll do that from now on instead of just vacuuming and replacing 30g's a week. Someone gave me directions for adding baking soda. I've been a little afraid to try it but will do it tonight and see what happens. I honestly don't think it's the PH with the Gourami's, they've been fine, it's only in the past week. The PH has been low for quite some time now. I've been told so many different things, it gets confusing. Some people don't believe PH matters at all, obviously it must.

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