Gourami Hiding in Corner, Why And What To Do About It

Last Updated on April 11, 2022 by cmoarz

One of the most common problems new fish owners face is their fish hiding in the corner. This can be a sign that your fish is stressed and needs help. In this article, we will discuss why your Gourami might hide in the corner and what you can do to help them feel more comfortable in their home.

Why do Gouramis hide in the corner?

There are several reasons Goramis display this behavior. One of the most common is that they are not comfortable with their surroundings.

This isn’t necessarily a sign it’s sick, Although that’s one possibility. let’s go through the most common reasons this happens.

Needs time to adapt: If you’ve just recently added a new Gourami or moved your existing one to a new tank, they might be taking their time to get used to the changes in their environment.

This can be especially true if there have been some other changes in addition to a move of a Gourami. For example, you may have changed the decor, plants or even added a filter.

Adding a new fish: Adding new fish to a tank can be a stressful situation for the older fish.

Depending on the condition of your tank, most Gouramis will adapt in about a week or two.

It’s like having a stranger move into your house without forward notice – It would be disconcerting. It’s the same for a fish.

So it takes a bit of time for them to get used to new additions or changes in their surroundings.

If you notice your Gourami has been hiding for a month or more, then it might be time to investigate further. There may be another issue going on that needs attention.

It’s stressed out: Stress can come from a lot of factors, but the most common ones are water chemistry, habitat decorations, and even feeding.

If water chemistry is off, the fish will be stressed. This also applies if their habitat isn’t set up properly or there is a problem with their food source and feeding schedule.

In turn, this stresses out your Gourami and they may choose to spend more time in a corner.

Dealing with a stressed fish can be difficult and you need to pinpoint the source of the stress before you can get them to act normally again.

It’s sick: Sometimes there’s a physical reason for your fish hiding in the corner.

This might be due to an internal infection or disease, parasites or even a bacterial infection.

In these cases, you really need to get them properly diagnosed and treated by an experienced hobbyist that knows what to look for. In nearly all cases of illness, it is best if you catch the problem early so treatment can begin.

There are many medications available for fish for all sorts of diseases and infections.

However, it is best to err on the side of caution and get a proper diagnosis before you start treating your fish.

The Aquarium is overcrowded: if you’ve got too many fish in your tank, they can stress each other out. When this happens, fish will often act in odd ways and one of those is hiding in a corner to try and get some of its own “space”.

This is another common reason that Gouramis may hide in the corner when you’ve got too many fish for given tank size. You should always be aware of how much room each fish needs to be comfortable.

Aggression issues: Bullies are a common problem in a tank, especially if there is only one Gourami. If your other fish are picking on yours, it will likely spend time away from its tank mates relaxing in a corner for protection or hiding when it comes into contact with the aggressive fish.

If you see any signs of aggression in your aquarium between species or even your Gourami, you may need to consider moving them to a tank by themselves for safety.

How can you help your Gourami feel more comfortable in their home

By providing a more natural environment something similar to what they would have in the wild, you will provide them with a sense of security.

Gouramis like driftwood, lots of hiding places, and a well-planted tank.

Keep the current low as they don’t like a strong current, but they do like some current to help circulate the water.

You should also remember that because Gouramis are anabantid fish, they can breathe atmospheric oxygen in addition to what is available in the water.

This means you should never cover the surface of your tank with anything that could hinder their ability to reach the top for air.

If you want floating plants, such as duckweed or frogbit, Consider placing a floating ring on the surface so there is always an empty spot for the fish to come up and breathe with its labyrinth organ.

Even so, always have an oxygen stone and pump running in the tank for extra oxygenated water flow.

Remove bullies if possible. Sometimes it is more practical to simply remove the rowdy fish and keep them in their own tank.

Make sure their feeding schedule is adhered to.