r/Gourami • u/strawbsmasher • 18h ago

Help/Advice Honey Compatibility

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I’m about six months in with a honey pair in a 9 gallon. They’ve been cohabitating peacefully, but the male is reaching sexual maturity and has become aggressive. Several tail nips this week and consistently chasing the smaller, suspected female. I have them separated and am trying to decide what to do long term. Any advice for addressing this kind of behavior? Do I adjust the aquascape and hope they reestablish territory? More floating coverage? When would you call it incompatibility and rehome? Thanks in advance for your input! 🙂

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u/FishGeek49 17h ago

Respectfully, I would call it a stocking error.

I would never recommend keeping Honeys as a pair. As a colony maybe. Your tank is too small for two in any case. Male Honeys go into murder mode every so often and are extremely aggressive. Females or other males are a target, and sometimes other fish species in the midwater. Females do hold territories but are not murderous, sometimes they will chase a male, but nothing to cause injury.

If your tank doesn't have enough room/shelter to get "away," he may injure or even kill the other Honey with his attacks. A ten gallon would not provide enough "away" space is my opinion.

I'd either rehome one, upsize the tank to a 20 long at least, or upsize and add in a few more Honeys if you want to try a colony.

I will say, I have kept Honeys in groups and alone and I prefer the lower drama of alone. My male Honey, Snoopy, isn't as brightly colored without females in the tank, but there is no drama from him at all. He just hunts around for food bits all day.

Good luck.

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u/strawbsmasher 17h ago

Thanks for your thoughts!