Red honey gourami's bubbles always pop, seems stressed

[nerdyaquarist]

Hi everyone,

I've had my "red honey" gouramis for about 2 months and I think one of them is a male. I can tell because he's gotten a bit territorial with the area he likes to chill in and chases everyone else away. He's been almost constantly sucking in air from the surface and blowing bubbles to no avail. Seems like he's trying to make a nest but every time he tries, they pop a second after they are made. I know some people out there say "not enough humidity, add a lid" when this situation happens but I actually do have a lid, albeit it has a small gap at the end only big enough for cables to come out. You can see the condensation on the lid so I don't think it's a humidity problem. I did the styrofoam cup trick I've read online about to see if that helps but he wasn't interested in the cup and when his bubbles did end up floating into it they still popped. 

I'll be honest, I'm not meaning to breed my gouramis but my male seems pretty stressed about this, which is why I'm posting. But if the breeding did happen, I'll admit it'd be pretty cool. He's trying day in and day out and chasing anyone away when they get too close. I removed the cup today and now all his fins are clamped (related? I don't know). I'm wondering how can I make it so my poor guy can build the nest of his dreams so he can stop stressing about it. 

Some info you should know, my tank is a 29 gal with a bit of current but nothing crazy (runs 2 filters, an aquaclear HOB with a diffuser over the output and the current is set to a little above the lowest setting, and a standard sponge filter on the opposite side). 

[Fishbros]

Here is my two cents on this and it's probably worth less then that. I think it may be your sponge filter.  I have read online before that vibrating equipment can make it hard for this family of fish to breed.  I wonder if it is something to do with the sponge filter somehow stressing him out.  depending on the airflow it may also be causing to much turbulence for the bubbles to stay formed.  The other thought is since the bubbles are formed from a mucus maybe some kind of issue with that?. 

[nerdyaquarist]

On 7/11/2022 at 6:26 PM, Fishbros said:

Here is my two cents on this and it's probably worth less then that. I think it may be your sponge filter.  I have read online before that vibrating equipment can make it hard for this family of fish to breed.  I wonder if it is something to do with the sponge filter somehow stressing him out.  depending on the airflow it may also be causing to much turbulence for the bubbles to stay formed.  The other thought is since the bubbles are formed from a mucus maybe some kind of issue with that?. 

Thanks for your response! I tried to see if he attempts when the sponge filter was off after a water change and... nothing. I also saw a few videos where honey gouramis do successfully breed with a sponge filter around. Maybe the mucus thing is the issue?

Also question on that screenshot you posted: what do they mean by "displaced behavior" and "misdirected energy?" Once I get a fish out of my QT tank this week I'll move my boy into it to see if he stops clamping his fins and if he makes a bubble nest. The fins are starting to concern me now. I noticed since the clamped fins started he hasn't been trying to blow bubbles like before. Lets hope all he needed was his own bachelor pad!

Edited July 13, 2022 by nerdyaquarist

[Fishbros]

Here is the link to the full article 

https://theaquariumadviser.com/gourami-bubble-nest/

[Cinnebuns]

I'm no expert so take this for what it is, but I've heard that bubble nesters have a hard time making a nest in hard water. Maybe that's it?

[nerdyaquarist]

On 7/13/2022 at 11:12 PM, Cinnebuns said:

I'm no expert so take this for what it is, but I've heard that bubble nesters have a hard time making a nest in hard water. Maybe that's it?

My water is 60% RO and 40% tap so the hardness is brought to medium low gH (don't remember the exact number) so I don't think that's it. Is it possible he's just young and is still learning how to make it?

[Fishbros]

On 7/15/2022 at 5:28 PM, nerdyaquarist said:

My water is 60% RO and 40% tap so the hardness is brought to medium low gH (don't remember the exact number) so I don't think that's it. Is it possible he's just young and is still learning how to make it?

I would think so, just like any animal they have to learn out to survive in their environment domesticated or not. 

[Hobbit]

My young male honey gourami definitely took a while to learn how to make bubbles. I think he’s a year old at this point and first succeeded at making nests two months ago. I was going to suggest the hard water thing, but it looks like you have that covered. Medium low hardness should be fine. I’d leave the cup or some other kind of cover (like floating plants) in there—he’ll feel safer with cover even if he doesn’t use it for his nest.

He could be stressed if your stocking is high and he feels like he can’t defend a territory. They’re not that aggressive of fish either, even though they try to put on a tough exterior. I have a platy that can run my honey male off his nest and eat his eggs any time she wants. Still trying to figure out where to put her so he can get some peace. 😛 

[nerdyaquarist]

Thanks guys! I actually ended up dosing the tank with prazipro just in case there was something parasitic that was causing him to clamp his fins, and lo and behold a few days later he was fine. Just grumpy still. I have to agree with you all - maybe he's young and inexperienced with building nests lol!