"Two days after Thanksgiving last year, I went to PetSmart to get two fish. I had always had goldfish growing up and I love fish, but I couldn't stand getting more goldfish. First of all, Petsmart really helped me out. I also needed a fish for a biology lab with a self-contained ecosystem and there was an aquarium part in it. I needed a hardy fish and they pointed me out to the gouramis. I also said I wanted fish to keep for myself, because the fish I brought for biology I would be bringing home. I got the last two Red Fire Dwarf Gouramis there (both male). When I brought them home and put them in the tank, one was a little less colorful, but a bit bigger than the other. So, I put him in the project so the smaller one would claim the tank a bit (I also fed him a bit more so he'd grow to be a bit bigger). Oh, and the colorful one is Iago and the less colorful one is Simba. About a month later--just before Christmas, I brought Simba home and now Iago, who is about the same size as Simba now, started bullying him. Over about a week, however, they started getting along. Much more recently, I went to PetSmart and purchased a Blue Mystery Snail (I named him Clyde) to clean up after Simba and Iago. Now, they all get along--although Simba and Iago like to rub up against and uproot the two plants I have rooted in the gravel so I have to keep replanting them.
I also noticed when Simba came home and Iago was bullying him, that Simba would turn almost sideways--someone else mentioned similar behavior in their two conflicting gouramis. After much observation, I believe it is a submissive behavior, such as dogs rolling over and showing their bellies. Of course, I'm just a sixteen year old girl who has a little too much time on her hands--most of it used to watch said fish--and not a world class animal behaviorist. Anyway, that's my observation. I know my tale has been pretty long, but I hope my fish story answers some of your questions. Like, when Simba and Iago were bullying each other, I was worried and thought about getting a tank divider of some kind. However, over time, they got used to each other and started getting along. Now, they're inseparable.
Also, these are by far the smartest fish I have ever seen--then again, I'm mostly familiar with goldfish. They get used to routine and know what time they are to be fed or what time the lights go out so they can rest. These are my favorite fish ever and definitely fish I would recommend for anyone!
--Meaghan Busch"
"Meaghan Busch"
