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Gourami
The Dwarf Gourami is a peaceful, timid species that should be kept in pairs with fishes of similar size and temperament. Avoid housing them with some of the more active characins and barbs. They can be kept in smaller aquariums (i.e., 20 to 30 gallons) that are densely planted with clumps of plants, such as Hygrophila and Limnophila on the sides and back of the tank, as well as floating plants like Riccia. Artificial plants commonly available at pet stores can be used instead. Decorate with bog wood, driftwood, and rockwork, leaving plenty of room in the centre for swimming. A darker substrate will show off their beautiful colours. The dwarf gourami is particularly sensitive to poor water conditions, so adequate filtration and frequent partial water changes are a must for its continued well being. Disease prone. An omnivore in nature, this fish accepts a wide range of foods, including small live foods, such as bloodworms, Tubifex worms, earthworms, glass worms and brine shrimp, as well as flake and freeze-dried foods. Supplement with vegetable matter in the form of Spirulina-based foods or parboiled vegetables, such as romaine lettuce or peas. This fish is easy to breed as long as the water conditions are good. Condition the fish on small live foods and reduce the water level (to around 8 inches in depth) and increase the temperature to induce spawning. It is best to isolate a male and female to a separate tank for breeding. Dwarf gourami's build tall bubble-nests using bits of plants and algae, into which they deposit their eggs. The male guards the brood until they hatch in approximately 24 hours. Once the eggs have hatched, remove both the male and female or they will eat the fry. The fry number around 600 and should be fed infusoria at first, and then finely ground flakes and brine shrimp as they mature.These fish are found in streams and rivers of the tropical Far East. The wetlands of the Ganges river; Jumna, Bramaputra, and the Baram river in Borneo. Like most fish in this family, these fish are bubble nest builders. Their eggs as well as the fry, are lighter than water and float to the top.
Scientific Name:
Colisa lalia
The Kissing Gourami is a peaceful species that should be housed with fishes of similar size and temperament. Males will occasionally fight by "pressing" their mouths together — hence the common name. Kissing Gouramis should be housed in large aquariums (i.e., 75 gallons or more) that are densely plant with Java fern and Java moss on the sides and back of the aquarium, as well as floating plants, such as Riccia species. Artificial plants are recommended, as live plants will be regarded as food. Decorate with bog wood and rockwork to provide sufficient area for algae to grow on, as this species will browse algae-covered surfaces as a supplement to its diet. The Kissing Gourami accepts a wide range of foods, including small live foods, such as bloodworms, Tubifex worms, earthworms, glass worms and brine shrimp, as well as flake and freeze-dried foods. Supplement with vegetable matter in the form of Spirulina-based foods or parboiled vegetables, such as lettuce or peas. Because it is difficult to differentiate between the sexes, it is best to purchase a group of six or more and let them pair up. These fish do not build nests, but they are capable of producing large spawns — up to 10,000 eggs per spawning. The eggs will float to the surface and attach themselves to various surfaces (i.e., plant stems, leaves). Some aquarists float a lettuce leaf in the aquarium as both a site of attachment for the eggs, and a source of infusoria, which the fry will feed on as an initial food. The parents should be removed from the aquarium after spawning, and the eggs will hatch in about four days. Can grow quite large (4 - 6 inches). Scientific Name:
Helostoma temminckii
General Gourami Care and Feeding;
Gouramis, despite their exotic colorations, make caretaking easy. They
live quite well on a high quality flake food. If you want to add a treat
once in a while, try brine shrimp or blood worms. Gouramis do well in
water from 68 to 85 degrees, which makes them good fish for a natural
tank, even one without extra filtration or aeration. Water quality should
be a pH of between 6 and 8.8 and a hardness of 5 to 35 dGH. The range is
such that these should not be of much concern.
The Lace or Pearl Gourami is one of the most beautiful anabantids — bubble nest builders. They are relatively peaceful and can be kept with any other community tank fish, displaying only mild aggression toward others of their species, and then usually only from males in breeding colours. Their long trailing “feelers,” which are the ventral fins of the pearl gourami, are very tempting to fin nippers such as tiger barbs or serpae tetras, so you have to be careful about not keeping these and similar fish with pearls. The male pearl gourami stakes out a corner of the tank and constructs a bubble nest at the surface of the water out of mucous-coated bubbles that he blows. Often the male will include bits of plant material in his nest. He coaxes the female under the nest, they coil together in a spawning embrace, and the male picks up the fertilized eggs and puts them into the nest. He then guards the nest until the babies become free-swimming. Pearl gouramis are one of the easier anabantids to breed. Pearl gouramis can adapt to water conditions either side of neutral pH, and they also can tolerate water that is fairly hard. The most important thing in their care is that they prefer warm conditions, at least 78 or even 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If kept at cooler temperatures they lose some of their beautiful colours and are not as active. Assuming your tank is on the warm side, the pearl gourami is one of the most beautiful and easily kept community tank fish. Temp 22 - 28C. Finnage can be quite spectacular and colourful on adults. My own display a sunset orange on lower finnage. Name: Trichogaster leerii Origin: Thailand,
Malaysia, Sumatra
Chocolate Gourami, plane fish. Osphromenus malayanus Habitat: This fish is found in small water holes and stagnant streams in
Sumatra. The general colouration is a dirty grey-brown, intensifying to chocolate brown when in good health. Three major white vertical bands occur, the first at the rear of the head, the second at about the middle of the body and the last at the rear of the dorsal. The male has a patch of yellow in front of the dorsal fin. Water conditions must be optimum for this fish, not very easy to keep although a mature well planted tank is an advantage. Breeding - buy a shoal of 6-10, letting them pair themselves. Mouth broods eggs for about 14 days, so should be in peak condition prior to breeding. The Labyrinth fish are a group known for their ability to breath atmospheric oxygen in the event the water they live in becomes depleted of oxygen or polluted. The organ that allows them to do this is called the Labyrinth and is located in the head just behind the gills. The labyrinth looks like a maze which traps air in its' many folds. The oxygen from this air is then absorbed directly into the bloodstream from the labyrinth organ. Most Anabantoid males build bubble nests during the breeding season. The male also guards the eggs until they hatch. Perhaps the most famous of the Labyrinths is the Siamese Fighting fish, Betta splendens.
Gouramis come pretty close to being the
perfect aquarium fish. Colourful, active, elegant, temperamentally
suited to community tank living, easy to care for, beautiful to look
at, and even easy to breed, this group of fishes should be high on
anyone’s list of aquarium firsts.
The Blue Gourami is a colour-morph of the Three-spot Gourami which actually has only two spots unless you count the eye as the third spot. These are a beautiful fish that get quite large, about 6 inches. They are a good community fish when small but can get belligerent or territorial when they get large. Care and feeding: Since they are omnivorous these fish will generally eat all kinds of live fresh and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat. Good fish to start with as they are hardy and easy to bred but likes hiding places as can be a bit on the shy side.
Distribution: These
fish are found in streams and rivers of the tropical Far East.
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