How long do gourami fish live? Honey gourami fish. Who do they get along with?

Pearl gourami (lat. Trichopodus leerii, and formerly Trichogaster leerii) is one of the most beautiful aquarium fish. Males are especially beautiful during spawning, when the colors become richer and the red belly and throat glow in the water like a poppy.
This is a labyrinth fish, they differ from other fish in that they can breathe atmospheric oxygen. Although, like all fish, they absorb oxygen dissolved in water, due to the difficult conditions in which gouramis live, nature has equipped them with a labyrinth apparatus. With its help, gourami can breathe air from the surface and survive in very harsh conditions. Another feature of labyrinths is that they build a nest of foam where their fry grow.

Pearl gourami can also make sounds, especially during spawning. But what this is connected with is still unclear.

This is a magnificent fish that can live in community aquarium with many types. These gouramis can grow up to 12 cm, but usually less - 8-10 cm. They live a long time, and even show some signs of intelligence, recognizing their owner and breadwinner.

Despite the fact that pearl gouramis are quite large fish, they are very peaceful and calm. Good for community aquariums, but can be somewhat shy. For maintenance, you need a densely planted aquarium with open areas for swimming.

They were first described by Bleeker in 1852. The fish is native to Asia, Thailand, Malaysia and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Gradually spread to other regions, for example? to Singapore and Colombia.

Pearl gouramis are included in the Red Book as endangered. In some areas, especially Thailand, the population has almost disappeared. This is due to pollution of the natural habitat and the expansion of human activity. Specimens caught in nature are becoming less and less common on sale, and the bulk are fish raised on farms.

In nature, they live in lowlands, swamps and rivers, with acidic water and abundant vegetation. They feed on insects and their larvae.

Interesting feature pearl gourami Like their relatives, is that they can hunt insects? flying over the water. They do it this way: the gourami freezes at the surface, looking for prey. Once the insect is within reach, he spits a stream of water at it, knocking it into the water.

Description

The body is elongated, laterally compressed. The dorsal and anal fins are elongated, especially in males. The pelvic fins are thread-like and extremely sensitive; with them the gourami feels everything around it. The body color is reddish-brown or brown, with dots from which the fish gets its name.

They can grow up to 12 cm, but in an aquarium it is usually less, about 8-10 cm. And their life expectancy is from 6 to 8 years with good care.

Difficulty in content

Pearl gourami is very unpretentious and is well suited for beginners. Undemanding, adapts well to different conditions, lives quite a long time, about 8 years. It eats any food, and in addition, it can also eat hydras that end up in the aquarium with food.

Feeding

Omnivores, in nature they feed on insects, larvae and zooplankton. In the aquarium he eats all types of food - live, frozen, artificial. The basis of nutrition can be made artificial feed- flakes, granules, etc. And additional food for gourami will be live or frozen food - bloodworms, coretra, tubifex, brine shrimp. They eat everything, the only thing is that gourami have a small mouth, and they cannot swallow large foods.

An interesting feature is that they can eat hydras. Hydra is a small sessile coelenterate creature that has tentacles containing venom. In an aquarium, she can hunt fry and small fish. Naturally, such guests are undesirable and gourami will help deal with them.

Care and maintenance

Of all the types of gourami, the pearl one is the most whimsical. However, you don’t need anything special for the content, just good conditions. Spacious aquariums with dim, soft light are suitable. Fish prefer the middle and upper layers of water. Juveniles can be raised in 50 liters, but adults already need a more spacious aquarium, preferably from 100 liters of volume.

It is important that the temperature of the air in the room and the water in the aquarium coincide as much as possible, since gouramis breathe atmospheric oxygen, then when big difference they can damage their labyrinthine apparatus. Constant temperature is also important, residents warm countries They do not tolerate cold water well.

Filtration is desirable, but it is important that there is no strong current; pearl gouramis love calm water. The type of soil does not matter, but they look great against the background of dark soils.

It is advisable to plant it in an aquarium more plants, and put floating plants on the surface. They do not like bright light and are a little timid on their own.

It is important that the water temperature is around 24-28C, they adapt to the rest. But it is better that the acidity is within the pH range of 6.5-8.5.

Compatibility with other fish

Pearl gouramis are very peaceful, even during spawning, which sets them apart from their relatives, for example. But at the same time they are timid and can hide until they settle in. They are also not too lively when feeding, and it is important to make sure that they get food.

You can keep shrimp with them, but only large enough ones, and the neocardines will be considered as food. Gourami won’t eat too many shrimp, but if you value them, it’s better not to combine them.

Sex differences

It is quite easy to distinguish males from females in pearl gouramis. The male is larger, more graceful, brighter in color, and has a pointed dorsal fin. In the female it is rounded, she is fuller. In addition, it is easy to determine the sex during spawning, when the male’s throat and belly turn bright red.

Reproduction

Reproduction is quite simple. During spawning, the males will appear before you in their best shape, with a bright red throat and belly. Also during spawning, males engage in fights with their opponents. Outwardly, this resembles a fight, when two fish lock their mouths with each other for a short moment, and then again slowly swim in front of each other.

Before spawning, the couple is fed generously with live food; usually the female, ready for spawning, becomes noticeably fatter. The couple is placed in a spacious, well-planted aquarium, with a wide water mirror and elevated temperature. The volume of the spawning tank is from 50 liters, preferably twice as much, since the water level in it needs to be seriously reduced so that it is about 10-13 cm. Water parameters are pH about 7 and temperature 28C. Floating plants, such as riccia, should be placed on the surface of the water so that gourami can use it as material for building a nest.

The male begins to build a nest. As soon as it is ready, the mating games begin. It is very important at this moment not to disturb or frighten them; pearl gourami behave much softer than other types of gourami. The male courts the female, inviting her to the nest. As soon as she swims up, the male hugs her with his body, squeezing out the eggs and immediately inseminating her. The game is lighter than water and floats up, but the male catches it and places it in the nest. During one spawning, the female can lay up to 2000 eggs. After spawning, the female can be left, since the male does not pursue her, but it is better to leave her, she has done her job anyway.

The male will guard and correct the nest until the fry swims. The larva will hatch in two days, and after another three the fry will swim. From this moment on, the male can be removed, as he can damage the fry while trying to return it to the nest. The fry are fed ciliates and microworms until they are able to eat Artemia naupilia. All this time the water should be about 29C. In the aquarium with the fry, you need to arrange weak aeration of the water until the labyrinthine apparatus is formed and it begins to rise to the surface for air. From this point on, the water level in the aquarium can be increased and aeration reduced or turned off. The fry grows quickly, but they vary in size and need to be sorted to avoid cannibalism.

May 12, 2014 admin

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Gourami are freshwater labyrinth fish. hallmark of which the pelvic fins are in the form of long threads. These very threads are their organ of touch. You can often see gouramis using them to feel the walls and decorations of the aquarium.

The distribution of gourami in nature is limited to Southeast Asia and adjacent islands. The pearl gourami lives in the Malay Archipelago, Sumatra and Borneo. There is inaccurate information about the location of the species on the island of Java; these fish are also found near Bangkok, but they ended up here, apparently due to the fault of aquarists. Moon gourami found in Thailand and Cambodia, Serpentine gourami in southern Vietnam, Cambodia and eastern Thailand. The spotted gourami has a wide range - from India to the Malay Archipelago. IN different areas This area has many local forms that differ in color. In Sumatra, along with these forms, the blue gourami lives. The serpentine gourami, whose range approaches the ocean coast opposite the island of Sri Lanka, did not move to this island, but today it has colonized the water bodies of the Antilles in Central America. Gourami - inhabitants of both standing and flowing waters, are found in both small streams and large rivers, and the spotted and brown gouramis have mastered the tidal zone with brackish water

Like all representatives of labyrinths, gourami breathe atmospheric air, so the aquarium should not be tightly closed; fresh air should always flow under the lid. Gourami, along with and, are one of the most unpretentious, and breeding them is as easy as keeping them.

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Aquarium gourami fish are unpretentious and relatively calm fish, so they are quite suitable for beginners. Sometimes fish can exhibit intraspecific aggression. In an aquarium they rarely exceed 10 cm in length. These fish love fairly bright overhead lighting and fresh water, which it is advisable to change up to 1/3 of the volume once a week. Fish are extremely peaceful and suitable for keeping in. The inherent unpretentiousness of gourami, ease of maintenance and breeding allow most aquarists to treat them as a completed stage, a kind of step on the path to acquiring personal experience. Because of this, the demand for them is decreasing; they are being replaced by new exotic wonders from reservoirs around the world.

Gourami feed mainly on small live food: , koretra, . If live food is not available, you can feed them dry granules and flakes. Many aquarists are pleased with one gastronomic addiction of all gourami - coil and fisa snails. Hungry fish are happy to rid the aquarium of small shellfish.

The water temperature for keeping these labyrinths is 23-26 degrees, hardness is up to 16 degrees, pH 6-7, and a weekly water change of 15-20% of the volume is required. Gourami are kept in low aquariums with a water level of 35-40 cm, bright lighting and big amount, including floating ones. You can place driftwood in the aquarium, which will bring the habitat closer to natural.

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Gourami plants are not harmed or dug up, so you can afford any, even the most delicate, vegetation. The exception to this rule is the moon gourami - it can pluck some tender plants.

Gourami are calm fish, but the males of some species can be quite pugnacious. For example, male pearl gouramis may fight over females. When there is a sharp cold snap, gourami catch cold easily, so temperature regime must be observed very carefully. If gouramis do not breed in a community aquarium, then the females may develop a cyst from unspawned eggs, and this will lead to the death of the fish. Therefore, if the female has collected eggs, the fish swims all the time with a thick belly, then she and the male need to be placed in a separate aquarium for spawning.

Before planting in a community aquarium, newly purchased fish must be quarantined. This is due to the fact that gourami, being very resistant to various diseases, can be a distributor of various pathogenic bacteria. And after planting this fish in a common vessel without quarantine, the remaining fish may die from infections.

To avoid such troubles, a newly acquired fish must be kept in a quarantine aquarium for about a week, if necessary, giving it daily baths with antiseptics. Saline solutions, antibiotic solutions (oxytetracycline, biomycin), weak solution of brilliant green, rivanol, methylene blue. The duration of the bath is 10 – 20 minutes. The fish should rest between baths in fresh clean water.

Breeding and reproduction

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If male gouramis begin to build a foam nest, they are ready to breed. Usually this happens at the age of one year. The male can and should be helped. Firstly, the water level in the aquarium during this period should not exceed 15 cm. Secondly, it needs building materials - therefore it is advisable to put small floating plants in the spawning tank. They will also help the female to hide from the annoying advances of the male after spawning.

Gourami can also breed in a community aquarium. But if this does not happen, then reproduction must begin by “moving” the male from the main aquarium to the spawning area. In a spawning tank with a volume of 15-20 liters there must be standing water so that the built nest does not collapse; the water temperature must reach up to 28-29°C.

The male spends all his time around the nest, the diameter of which reaches 7 cm. This is the future place for offspring. When the male has already acquired such a place, the female is transplanted to him.

A pregnant gourami looks like other pregnant fish - it has a rounded abdomen. And the male sees this. If the female is ready for spawning, then he immediately begins to court her in every possible way, changes color and becomes especially beautiful. If the female is not ready, she can drive her until she loses her tail and fins, or even to death. Before spawning, spawners are heavily fed.

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Gourami mating looks very funny: the male, as it were, invites the female to the nest and when she finally agrees, they settle down together under this shelter. The male turns his girlfriend upside down towards the nest and squeezes the eggs out of her, fertilizing her at the same moment. After this, he releases the female, and he himself picks up the eggs that have fallen to the bottom of the aquarium with his mouth and returns them to the nest. The male squeezes the eggs out of the female several times, and each time it becomes more and more difficult for him to drive the female under the nest. The male gets angry and becomes aggressive, the female hides in the grass thickets. The spawning process can take up to 4 hours.

After spawning, it is better to immediately remove the female, otherwise the angry father, protecting his nest and offspring, may take out his aggression on her. The male gourami actually raises the fry. The eggs stay well in the foam nest, but if they suddenly go to the bottom, the male immediately reacts and returns them back. A day later, two fry hatch. The incubation time depends on the water temperature, which must be constantly monitored: if the male senses something is wrong, he can stop caring for the fry and destroy them. Also during this period he is not given any food. The father is left in the aquarium until the offspring learns to calmly swim around the aquarium. The hungry dad “moves” back to the common aquarium, the nest begins to collapse without him, but the little gouramis no longer need it. Gourami fry should be fed ciliates and zooplankton.

Marbled gourami

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Marbled gourami - aquarium fish obtained by crossing spotted and blue gourami. Its color resembles polished marble. The fish is large, calm and peaceful. Her majestic slow movements calm and pacify the observer, no matter how stormy his day has been. The view is unpretentious. It does not require constant aeration of water, which makes it suitable for keeping in an aquarium located in the bedroom, since there is no noise from the compressor. Its peaceful disposition makes it possible to keep it with many other species. And the endurance and unpretentiousness of marble pets make it possible to recommend it to novice lovers.

A couple of fish can be kept in a 15-20 liter container about 40 centimeters long. But it is better to keep it in an oblong aquarium with a capacity of 50 liters or more. In such a container you can keep 6 – 7 fish. The aquarium must be covered with a lid or at least glass. The distance from the surface of the water to the glass is approximately 5 - 8 centimeters. This is necessary because fish breathe atmospheric air. And if the air in the room has a temperature much lower than the water, then by taking in this cold air, they can catch a cold.

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You can use small pebbles, granite chips, coarse river sand and even quarry seeding. It is advisable that the soil be of a dark shade, on which the color of the fish will greatly benefit. At the bottom, it is advisable to arrange small shelters from large stones or shards of pottery flower pots.

Plants should form fairly dense thickets along the rear and side windows. You can use, pinnate, hornwort,. Plants such as riccia, duckweed, and pistia should float on the surface.

When breeding, you need to keep in mind that interspecific crossing occurs relatively easily. However, the coloration of hybrids is usually worse than that of pure lines. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid crossing, for example, marble gourami with pearl gourami. About a week before the expected spawning, the males are separated from the females and the spawners are generously fed with live food. They usually spawn in pairs, but since not every male is able to fertilize eggs, group spawning is sometimes practiced. But in this case, the aquarium must be of sufficient size so that the males do not fight among themselves for territory.

Pearl gourami

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Pearl gourami is one of the most charming aquarium fish. Its delightful color makes it a decoration for any aquarium, and its gentle disposition and gentle character allow it to be kept with anyone. peaceful fish. Including the smallest species.

The distribution area in nature is Southeast Asia, the islands of Borneo and Sumarta in Indonesia, southern Malaysia and Thailand. Gourami lives in small ponds, canals and streams, densely overgrown with vegetation and penetrated by the sun's rays. They have been kept in aquariums since 1933; they appeared in our country in 1947.

Pearl gouramis have a body that is strongly compressed laterally, in the shape of an elongated oval, and large dorsal and anal fins. In males, the dorsal fin is greatly elongated. Its tip is pointed. In females it is much shorter and rounded. The pelvic fins are long and filamentous. They are elongated into thin threads and are often used by fish as a kind of tentacles with which they feel objects in front of them. The coloring is very beautiful - against the background of a silver-violet general background there are many whitish-yellow, pearly spots scattered. The throat and front part of the chest are bright orange; in males it turns bright red during the spawning period. The maximum size for adult fish is 11 centimeters, females are usually slightly smaller.

Pearl gouramis are very peaceful, even timid fish that prefer to hide from all dangers in dense thickets of plants. They prefer spacious aquariums, where open spaces for swimming are replaced by dense thickets aquatic plants. A large number of plants planted in the ground and floating on the surface of the water is a prerequisite for their maintenance, and replacing them with artificial ones is not advisable - live ones look more beautiful and natural, and the gouramis themselves do not cause any harm to aquatic vegetation. The aquarium should be brightly lit, these fish love bright light, no matter solar or artificial, and only with good lighting they acquire all their inherent brightness and beauty.

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When keeping these gouramis, effective water filtration is required, since the fish, despite their ability to breathe air, love crystal clear water. A strong current is undesirable, so it is recommended to turn the filter outlet tube so that the stream breaks against the glass and loses its strength. Gourami prefer soft water with a slightly acidic reaction, but they easily get used to living in harder water and even try to reproduce there. Regular water changes, about 20% of the total volume, once a week are recommended. The fish are very thermophilic and prefer to live at 25-27°C, although they can tolerate short-term temperature drops to 20°C and increases above 30°C without any problems. They eat any food, live or dry, the only condition is that the food must be small in size, since the fish’s mouth is relatively small.

Male pearl gouramis can get into fights over females, so it is preferable to keep them in small harems - one male for two or three females. Likewise, conflicts, often quite serious and bloody, with another male will be avoided, and each female will suffer less from the excess of the male’s love feelings. Also, when choosing other fish to keep together, you should take into account that the long thread-like ventral fins of gourami act on some fish like a red rag on a bull - it is simply impossible to swim past and not taste an object so reminiscent of a worm! Various cichlids and some species of characins, which are quite hooligan by nature, especially suffer from this. With such neighbors, gourami quickly lose all their majesty and beauty, turning into frightened ragamuffins hiding in the bushes, and this despite the fact that the neighbors can be half or even three times smaller than them!

Aquarium gourami fish, so popular among aquarists, are representatives of several genera of the macropod or gouramic family (Osphronemidae) and live in tropical fresh water bodies. Their habitat covers part South-East Asia, namely Indochina and the Malay Peninsula, as well as a number of islands: Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan.

Popular types of gourami

The gouramis most often grown in aquariums are thread-bearing gourami (genus Trichogaster).

The genus Trichogaster owes its name, which translated means “having threads on the belly,” to the long rays of the ventral fins, which are organs of touch that help to better navigate in muddy water conditions.

You can often see fish using them to feel the walls and decorations of the aquarium. It is interesting that earlier aquarists often called Trichogaster fish not gourami, but threadworms, which is more correct. Indeed, in addition to this genus, gourami species of several more genera are bred in aquariums, and all of them also have varying degrees developed pelvic fin rays:

• Trichopsis (grunting and dwarf), representatives of the genus also have rather strongly elongated pelvic fin rays;
• Helostoma (kissing), the rays of the ventral fins have a slightly noticeable elongation;
• Sphaerichthys (chocolate), with moderately pronounced elongation of the pelvic fin filaments;
• Osphronemus (commercial gourami), the largest of all, also with long pelvic fins.

Why are gouramis called labyrinth fish?

In the taxonomy of fish, gourami belong to the order Perciformes, in which 20 suborders are distinguished and there are more than ten thousand very diverse fish, for example, such as.

Gourami belongs to the suborder of creepers or anabantoids (lat. Anabantoidei). Abanthinformes differ from other perciformes in the presence of an auxiliary respiratory organ - the epibranchial organ or labyrinth. With its help, fish breathe atmospheric air. Therefore, fish from the suborder anabanthus are called labyrinthine.

The labyrinthine organ is a modified first gill arch. In its expanded part there is a cavity with thin bone plates that increase the overall surface of the arch. Each plate is covered with a mucous membrane with many blood capillaries.

The air captured by the fish's mouth passes into the labyrinthine apparatus, where gas exchange occurs, almost like in the lungs. This organ helps gouramis survive in warm, shallow waters with low level oxygen in the water, and sometimes remain without water for a very long time.

When breeding gourami, you must remember that the development of the labyrinth organ occurs 2 - 3 weeks after the juveniles hatch from the eggs. Therefore, the water for keeping fry must be very well saturated with oxygen.

Important! When transporting gouramis over long distances, be sure to provide them with access to air so they can breathe properly.

The history of gourami - as an aquarium fish

Problems arose from the very beginning with the delivery of this type of fish to European aquarium hobbyists. Caught in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, they were placed in wooden barrels filled to the brim with water. But gourami fish survived in these conditions until the barrels with them were placed in the holds of ships. Fishermen tried to deliver live goods to consumers again and again, but the result was the same - the complete loss of their catch. Not understanding why this was happening, people classified gourami as a problem category and stopped trying to spread it for a couple of decades.

And at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, one of the Europeans noticed that in natural conditions these fish from time to time float to the surface of the water to swallow an air bubble. The Indonesian guide advised him to fill the transparent vessels only two-thirds full with water and not seal them. Thanks to such measures, during the transportation of this batch, which included spotted gourami, not one of them died. This happened in 1896.

Gourami also reproduced without problems, so they quickly spread among European aquarists. The first fish of this species were brought to Russia in 1912.

Natural habitats of gourami

Under natural conditions, these fish live in Southeast Asia and on nearby islands. Moreover, different types - on different territories. An example is some thread-bearing gouramis (genus Trichogaster):

• Pearl gourami prefers Sumatra, Borneo and the Malay Archipelago.
• Lunar - Cambodia and Thailand.
• Serpentine - southern Vietnam, eastern Thailand and Cambodia.
• The spotted gourami is distributed much wider, from the Malay Archipelago to India.
• Blue - Sumatra.

At the same time, thread-bearing gouramis and representatives of other genera of the gourami family live in both flowing and standing water bodies, both large and small, and species such as brown and spotted gouramis feel good in tidal zones and brackish estuaries.

General characteristics of aquarium gourami fish

Males have brighter colors than females. At the same time, the brightness of the colors of representatives of both sexes indicates their state of health. The color scheme depends on the type of fish:

• silvery-violet with specks that have a pearly sheen.
• Lunar scales are pale, however, they served as the basis for the development of lemon, golden and marble forms of fish.
• Serpentine - olive, on their sides there is a horizontal dark line and a series of slightly beveled golden stripes.
• Spotted - silver, with irregular shape lilac-gray stripes across the body that appear during spawning.

The body of the fish is flat and elongated. The shape of the dorsal and anal fins is elongated and slightly pointed. The dorsal fins of females are much shorter and rounded. But as for the ventral fins, they have degenerated into thin thread-like antennae, the length of which is the same as the length of the entire body. Their function has also changed - wild and aquarium gourami fish use them as an organ of touch. Antennae that are torn off for any reason will soon be regenerated.

As for the sexual differences in gourami, they exist and are quite obvious. In particular, males, as opposed to females:

• Larger ones.
• More slender.
• Their color is brighter.
• Their fins are longer.
• The main difference is that the male’s back fin is larger and has a more elongated shape than that of the female.

Feed base

Under natural conditions, the food of fish is very diverse, in particular, they feed on:

• Larvae.
• Adult insects.
• Food waste.
• Plant organics.
• Bottom fauna.
• Aquatic invertebrates.

• Bloodworm.
• Pipe makers.
• Daphnia, both dry and live.

Large pieces should not be given, since the fish have rather small mouths. Interestingly, adult gouramis endure hunger strikes lasting 7-14 days. If necessary, you can calmly go on vacation, being calm about your pets: they will wait for you.

How to properly keep gourami

Keeping gourami is not too difficult a task. They will require an aquarium with a volume of at least 40 liters. The lighting should be brighter and the soil should be darker. It is at this ratio that the color of the fish will become brighter. Gourami require space to swim, so aquatic vegetation should be planted in groups. In addition, a certain number of floating plants are required, which the male will need to build a nest.

As for the oxygen content in water, this indicator has no special significance for most gourami species. But if an aerator is installed in the aquarium, then it should not create a strong current, since these fish most often live in stagnant water. Thread-carrying gouramis swim closer to the water surface.

The water temperature should be maintained between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius. With proper care, fish live in captivity for up to 7 years. Gourami are not aggressive, so their neighbors in the aquarium should also have a gentle disposition. The best option neighborhoods for them can be: neons, rasboras, macropods, irises, laliuses, scalars, minors, ancistruses, corydoras, apistograms.

How to properly propagate gourami?

Spawning gourami changes their appearance. During this period, the fish acquire brighter and more interesting colors.

Reproduction of gourami requires compliance with some simple rules:

• The volume of the aquarium is from 40 to 50 liters.
• The water level in it is from 25 to 30 cm.
• To fill it, only fresh, but settled water is used.
• Use only live food.

The male finds floating plants and builds a nest from foam between them. The female lays up to a couple of thousand eggs. The eggs rise to the surface and are carried by the male into the nest.

When the gourami's spawning is over, the male drives away the partner (it is better to transplant her into another aquarium altogether). Caring for the eggs falls on the father's shoulders for the next two to three days. As soon as the fry begin to swim on their own, the male should also be removed from the aquarium so that he does not destroy his children.

Young gouramis eat nematodes and ciliates. And after a couple of weeks, the gourami parents can again leave offspring. The total duration mating season theirs is up to six months.

In gourami of the genus Sphaerichthys, the female takes the fertilized eggs into her mouth, where they develop.

A brief introduction to the species of gourami of the genus Trichogaster

The most popular gouramis are thread-bearing gourami, which belong to the genus Trichogaster. We will briefly get acquainted with the main species and see photos of gourami fish.

Pearl gourami Trichogaster leeri

One of the most beautiful gouramis. Length up to 11 centimeters. Peaceful, even timid fish:

• The body is characteristic of many gouramis: laterally compressed, high and elongated.
• The main color is yellow-brown with scattered whitish or yellowish shimmering spots.
• On the throat, chest and pectoral fins there is a bright orange, red or sometimes purple coloration, continuing to the front of the anal fin.
• Traditionally, the male is brighter than the female and larger.

Spotted gourami Trichogaster trichopterus

The maximum body length in nature is up to 15 cm, and the average is 7-8 centimeters.

• The body shape is similar to that of a pearl.
• The color is changeable. Base color bodies are silver-olive to bluish. The name "spotted" comes from the two dark oval spots visible on the sides of the body. The first is under the dorsal fin, the second is in front of the caudal fin.
• The brightness of the spots changes depending on the mood of the fish.
• Green or gray fins are strewn with white, yellowish or orange spots.
• The incident light makes the fish appear bluish-shiny.

Blue gourami – Trichogaster trichopterus sumatranus

The second name is Sumatran, because its homeland is the island of Sumatra. The main color is blue or deep blue, which is reflected in the name. On the sides there are bright, darker transverse stripes. There is a slight resemblance to - the same two spots on the sides of the body and three unpaired fin decorated with small light spots.

Marbled gourami Trichogaster trichopterus cosby

The marbled gourami is a color variation of the blue gourami. In 1960, it was brought to Europe from the USA. Why is the variation called cosby? This is the name of an American aquarist who discovered this form in his aquarium and began breeding its pure line. Keeping marbled gourami is not difficult; it can be recommended for beginners. Fish get along well with many others aquarium fish: no one is bullied, and few people touch them.

Moon gourami (Trichogaster microlepis)

The body is bluish-gray with a silvery tint. The male, which is larger than the female, has an orange tint on the front of the anal fin. The same orange-red color is present on the thread-like ventral fins. There are no such shades in the color of females. During the spawning period, the male's chest acquires a reddish-yellow color.

The fish come from Kampuchea and Thailand. Under natural conditions they grow up to 18 centimeters, in aquariums - 12-15 cm.

Golden gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus sumatranus var. gold)

The golden gourami is another color variation of the blue gourami with a golden body color and dark stripes along the back, visible on males during the spawning period.

A brief introduction to the species of gourami of the genus Trichohsis

The types of gourami of this genus kept in aquariums are grunting and dwarf.

Dwarf gourami - Trichohsis pumilus

A very small fish, only 3.5 centimeters long. The color is olive green with blue. A dark stripe runs along the body, and above it there are dark spots. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins are bluish with dark spots and a red stripe along the edge. They are ready to spawn from 5 months. About 150 eggs are laid. A wide leaf is chosen as a shelter for the nest, under which the nest is built.

Grunting Gourami –Trichopsis vittatus

Medium size - 7 centimeters. It is sometimes called the talking fish for its ability to make sounds similar to the croaking of a frog. It seems as if someone is grumbling.

Representative of the genus Helostoma - kissing gourami

The photo of gourami fish kissing so deliciously looks very cute. Helostoma temminkii or the kissing gourami makes peculiar movements of its lips, similar to a kiss. This happens during feeding, courtship during the spawning period and when clarifying relationships between males. The Latin name of the species temminkii is associated with the name of Conrad Temmink, a zoologist from Holland. This large fish(length 30 cm).

Chocolate gourami from the genus Sphaerichthys

The genus Sphaerichthys is interesting in that the eggs develop in the mouth of the female. Therefore, fertility is low. In the chocolate gourami (Sphaerichthys osphromenoides), the female lays 80 eggs, which are incubated in her for 12-14 days. oral cavity. When the fry leave their "incubator", each is 5 millimeters long. Adults are up to 5.5 cm long.

The origin of the name of this species is clear: the body is colored chocolate brown and has decorations in the form of 4-5 vertical light stripes on the sides.

Commercial gourami Osphronemus goramy

A brief overview of popular gourami species is completed by the giant gourami (Osphronemus goramy), which has two more names - real and commercial. Each of these names characterizes the fish from different aspects:

A real gourami, because its Latin species name is “goramy”.

• Giant gourami, because its Latin species name sounds like it - “goramy” is the largest of all gourami. In natural habitats it is 60 cm long, in an aquarium 40-50 cm.
• It is called commercial gourami because in its homeland (on the islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo) it is commercial fish and breeding object. The species is acclimatized in India, southern China and Ceylon, and is bred in ponds. The meat is delicious.

Gourami are small exotic fish of the Markopodidae and Helestomidae families, living in Southeast Asia. In this article I will tell you about the behavioral features and external characteristics these fish, I will show you what they look like, what they eat, what conditions they live in, who they get along with and what types of other fish they are compatible with.

In nature, there are several types of gourami, but they are all the same in body structure.

The body has an oval oblong shape, flattened in profile. Gourami are endowed with a large number of dorsal and anal fins, which are located from the head to the tail of the fish.

The pelvic fins are unique - they have a non-standard shape and look like threads. Dotted with many receptors, they help navigate in the water and among algae.

Pelvic fins often attract other fish because they look like worms. It happens that gouramis lose them. But the thread-like fin grows back.

The next feature of gouramis is the presence of a labyrinth organ, thanks to which they can survive in waters with low oxygen content. To do this, it floats to the surface from time to time in order to gain air.

The coloring of gourami depends on the type of fish. They come in pearlescent, azure blue, golden honey, silver, from even color to spotted and wavy color.

Gourami can vary greatly in size. The body length is from 5 to 15 cm. It is worth noting that when large size aquarium, the fish will grow, if you want to have a small fish, then choose a medium-sized aquarium.

The lifespan of gourami also depends on the species and ranges from 4 to 10 years. Smaller fish live shorter lives ranging from 4 to 6 years. The age of large ones can reach 8-10 years.

Gourami in Asia is famous as a fish that sticks its nose out of the water due to the need to take in air.

According to the description, it lives in Southeast Asia in shallow bodies of water in dense vegetation. The first attempts to transfer gourami from Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam to the Eurasian continent were unsuccessful. The homeland of these fish is in Europe, where they appeared in late XIX century.

Most popular types

There are about 60 subspecies of gourami, but only 10 of them are kept in aquariums. Among them the following varieties stand out:

Pearl

• Size: up to 11 cm.
• Life expectancy: about 7 years.

The color is light brown with many bright silver-violet dots. In the middle of the sides with a thin black stripe. Males are brighter than pearly females.

• Size: 4-5 cm.
• Life expectancy: 5-6 years.

The color of the whole body is brown, sometimes with a green or orange tint. There are 2-3 white stripes of medium thickness across the body.

• Size: up to 15 cm.
• Life expectancy: 4-6 years.

The color corresponds to the name - striped spots on the body in a combination of those colors: blue, black or dark blue and white.

• Size: 4-5 cm. From the gourami family, honey itself is small.
• Life expectancy: up to 7 years.

The color is silver with a yellow tint. Males have golden-honey tones.

The fish got its name from the sounds it makes, especially during the mating period.

• Size: up to 7.5 cm.
• Life expectancy: 10 years.

The color is mostly brown with stripes different colors along the body. There are also red and yellow shades.

Red

Bred artificially, not found in nature.

• Size: 5 cm.
• Life expectancy: 4-5 years.

The color is completely scarlet with a golden tint.

Conditions of maintenance and care in the aquarium

Gourami do well in aquariums.

It is not difficult to create aquarium conditions close to natural environment a habitat. To do this, you will need algae, dark soil and various decorations in the form of driftwood and other figures.

Gourami are measured and modest fish. They like to hide in thickets and among snags. Most of the time is spent in middle lane aquarium which should be free from decoration.

The fish are not picky and can live in water with different parameters. The following properties of water are desirable:

• temperature: 22-26 degrees;
• rigidity: up to 16dGH;
• acidity 6-7 pH.

Water replacement is required once a week. New water must be left for 24 hours. You can renew 1/3 of the water in the aquarium or completely.

Gourami must be kept in an open aquarium to allow free air flow to the surface of the water. Otherwise the fish will not live long.

What can you feed

They belong to the order of predators. Due to the physiological characteristics of the structure of the mouth, gourami can only eat small food. In addition to prepared dry food, you can feed them the following food:

• bloodworm;
• tubifex;
• Daphnia.

They can also eat chopped lettuce leaves.

If gouramis share an aquarium with other types of fish, it is necessary to ensure that they have time to eat food, since gouramis themselves are very slow and do not have the ability to quickly grab food.

Compatibility of gourami with other aquarium fish

No more than 5-6 individuals of other species should be kept in the same aquarium with gourami. First of all, these should be non-predatory fish.

Diseases and prevention

Gourami rarely get sick. The reason for this may be already sick fish and poor food. Diseases that occur in them:

• lymphocytosis– the appearance of wounds, swelling, accompanied by a white coating;
• pseudomonosis– manifestation of dark spots turning into ulcers;
• aeromonosis– refusal to eat, living in the lower layer of water, raised scales, swollen abdomen. The reason for this may be a large number of fish in the aquarium.

The brightness of the color indicates the health of the fish. Pale color is the first signal to pay attention to the state of health.

Gourami are beautiful exotic fish with different colors and are not picky about care and maintenance, but it is important to monitor how much food they receive. Measured in nature, they will contribute to relaxation and calmness of those watching them.

If an aquarist decides to have a gourami, care and maintenance will not cause him any problems. Before buying, it is important to find out all the details: what characteristics do these fish have, how long do they live and how to maintain comfortable conditions for them in the aquarium.

History of fish

The first person to become interested in these bright underwater inhabitants, was Pierre Carbonnier. He dreamed of bringing to France the strange fish that he found in the tropics. Among them were gourami. But they did not immediately manage to reach Europe. The fact is that in those days fish were transported in closed wooden barrels. Gourami in need of access fresh air, they were simply suffocating under the water.

The fact that these underwater inhabitants always died on the way to another country was very puzzling. After all, in wildlife they lived not only in crystal clear water, but also adapted well to gutters and any other dirty water bodies. The fact is that these underwater inhabitants need air. All types of gourami need it. They often rise to the surface and stick their heads out of the water to grab air. As a result, it was still possible to export these fish from the country. Especially for them, the barrels were not completely filled with water, so that the gourami had the opportunity to breathe air during the journey.

Appearance

An aquarist must know gourami and fish species. It is worth mentioning a feature that unites representatives of all varieties: they have fins on their bellies that look like two thin threads. With their help, fish can navigate muddy water. There is no need to worry if these fins break. The fish will be able to grow them back. When breeding gourami, compatibility with other inhabitants of the aquarium must be taken into account.

Another feature is the epibranchial organ, which is called the labyrinth.

It is needed so that fish can live without problems in water with low oxygen content. It is noteworthy that thanks to this organ, fish can remain without water for several hours.

Gourami have different sizes. It’s also worth getting acquainted with the varieties of these fish:

1. Pearl. This gourami fish has a silver-purple color with many small white spots that look like pearls. They are present both on the body and on the fins. The pearl gourami has a black stripe running from head to tail. The size of a representative of this species is 11 cm.
2. Lunar. This variety of gourami is notable for its uniform silver color, which is how it got its name. In an aquarium, this fish grows up to 11 cm, in the wild - up to 15 cm.
3. Blue. Representatives of the variety have a blue body color, small silver dots on the fins and 2 black spots on the sides. Blue gouramis are peaceful, so they can get along with other fish in the aquarium without any problems.
4. Marble. Motley gray color This fish really resembles marble. The fins of such gouramis are covered with yellow spots. Many representatives of the species are quite large - up to 13 cm. Marbled gourami- these are mutated blue ones.
5. Gold. These fish have a bright yellow color and spots on their fins. Sometimes the males of this species are aggressive against each other, they can even fight over the female. These gouramis live a long time. At home, they can please the owner for 6–7 years.
6. Kissing. The main feature of these fish is the movements of their lips, which resemble kisses. There are different colors: pinkish, golden, gray, green. Among the representatives of the species you can see albinos.
7. Chocolate. Such aquarium gourami colored brown, which may contain a slight shade of green. There are light transverse stripes on the body. It is worth mentioning one more fact about these fish: their size does not exceed 4–5 cm. They are noticeably smaller than representatives of other species.
8. Grumpy. These fish have translucent fins with greenish spots and a golden color with white sides. These gouramis are fish that need company. It is better to get 6-7 individuals at once. They cannot stand bright light.

Breeding gourami at home is an interesting business. These fish are bright and beautiful, you can purchase as many representatives as different types. They will not only get along well together, but will also make the aquarium brighter and more beautiful.

Before buying a fish, you need to choose the right container for it. How much water is needed in the aquarium? It is best to take containers from 40 liters. It is important to consider that gourami needs air, so you should always leave space between the surface of the water and the lid. This aquarium fish is quite jumpy, so be sure to cover the container.

It is also important to note that pets are thermophilic.

The water temperature for gourami should be +23…+27°C. Cold is unacceptable, it can lead to the death of fish. They also love light, so you need to either place the aquarium with gouramis closer to the window, or use lamps. The lighting should be overhead, because these fish swim in the upper layers of water, because they need to regularly rise to the surface.

Aquarium gourami fish need large quantities vegetation. They are shy and do not like to conflict. If other inhabitants begin to show aggression, gourami will not fight, but will hide, which is why it is so important to keep these fish in aquariums with thick algae, among which they can find refuge.

How long do gouramis live? These fish are considered long-lived. With quality care, they can please all aquarists for 5–7 years. It is very important that gourami have constant access to air. Proper maintenance and care is the key to ensuring that your fish will live a long time.

Fin mucus is another serious ailment.

Because of this disease, gourami suffer from impaired coordination of movement. Ligulosis is also very dangerous. Because of it, the fish loses its appetite, and its abdomen enlarges. Treatment in this case cannot be delayed, because the pets may die. In addition, ligulosis is very contagious. It is important not only to take good care of underwater inhabitants, but also to closely monitor their behavior, the condition of their scales and fins. Fish should be active and enjoy eating. Gourami diseases are best treated under the supervision of a veterinarian so that illnesses do not affect the life of the fish in the future.

Feeding

What to feed gourami? First of all, it is worth saying that these pets are unpretentious. Most of all they love live food, but we must not forget about plant food. What foods should be given? Oatmeal, cottage cheese or cheese will do. It is important to consider that these fish have a very small mouth, so gourami food must be crushed.

You cannot overfeed your pets; 2 meals a day are enough.

Obesity will not only make fish less active, but will also cause diseases that will significantly shorten life. It is better, on the contrary, to sometimes triple their fasting days. Gourami feel normal without food for 10–15 days, so you don’t need to worry about them when going on vacation.

Neighborhood at the Aquarium

Who should you keep gourami in the aquarium with? The description of these underwater inhabitants makes it clear that aggressors will not suit them as neighbors. Intimidated fish will constantly hide among the vegetation. They won't survive due to stress. longer than a year. Gourami never get into fights, so they will not be able to fend for themselves. They will also not be able to get along with underwater inhabitants that need a constant strong current, because they prefer stagnant water. Gourami gets along with some species. Suitable as neighbors peaceful fish, for example, angelfish. In addition, they will look very nice together in an aquarium.

A small catfish gets along well with these fish.

It is important to take into account that harmless gourami themselves can harm other underwater inhabitants: their maintenance viviparous fish unacceptable. For this reason, guppies, for example, are not suitable. Very quickly the fry will be eaten.

If an aquarist decides to have such pets, he must take into account all aspects of keeping and feeding gourami. Compatibility with other fish does not guarantee that underwater inhabitants will be comfortable.

Reproduction

If an aquarist decides to keep a gourami, the reproduction of these fish will interest him. It’s worth discussing right away 1 very important question: how to distinguish a male from a female. Aquarium gourami fish are always very beautiful, but still the males are noticeably brighter than the females. Some species have characteristics in color that you need to pay attention to to determine gender. For example, in pearl gourami, the male has a red neck, and the female has a red neck. orange color. When discussing the characteristics that distinguish a male, it is important to mention body size. Females are always larger, like all other fish.

How to determine the sex of a gourami by its fins? Is it difficult? Particular attention should be paid appearance dorsal fin gourami: the difference between a male and a female is pronounced. In the former, the fin is long and pointed, in the latter - smaller in size and has a rounded shape. The shape of the fin is always different, so this method is very reliable.

There should be several females per male. This must be taken into account when purchasing many adults at once. Knowing how to distinguish a female from a male, you can begin breeding. Do I need a separate container for this? It is desirable, but often these fish breed in a common aquarium if you create comfortable conditions for them.

Spawning requires algae on the surface of the water and shelter for the female at the bottom.

A strong current is unacceptable, since the male creates a special foam nest for the eggs. In order for gourami breeding to proceed without problems, you must first remove the male and give him 3 days, during which he will have time to build a nest. At this time, the fish will be so busy with an important matter that it may even refuse to eat. There is no need to worry about this.

How to breed gourami? It is necessary to place the female and male in a separate container in advance. When the nest is built, the male will drive the female into it. As soon as the eggs are released, the female will hide, so you need to make a shelter for her at the bottom of the aquarium. The father will store the caviar and take care of it. He not only makes sure that no one eats the future offspring, but also returns the eggs to the nest if the current carries them away. The female must be removed immediately, otherwise the male will begin to attack her. To breed gourami fry, the aquarist does not have to make any effort. A caring father will take care of his offspring himself.

After 1-2 days the babies will appear.

At this age, fish are not yet distinguishable. The male carries them to the nest, but as soon as they begin to swim on their own, it is necessary to remove the adult so that it does not eat the offspring. While the male is caring for the eggs and fry, you cannot feed him.

It is important to know that the fry have not yet developed the labyrinth apparatus. They need to be kept in an aquarium, with the water level reduced to 6 cm. For this reason, in the wild, gouramis always go to shallow water to reproduce. The labyrinthine apparatus develops 1 month after birth.

Keeping baby gouramis will not be a hassle; you just need to feed them on time and remove excess food so that they do not rot. It is important to mention that gouramis grow unevenly. Fish of the same age can have different sizes, but this does not depend on gender. It will be possible to distinguish between males and females when the gouramis have already grown up. Grown-up individuals should be released into the aquarium, taking into account the kind of fish these inhabitants of the underwater world get along with.

The ideal age for spawning is 1 year. If the aquarist misses this period, he may never see the fry. It is important that the fish are well fed and treated on time before spawning.

Healthy gouramis will produce good offspring.

An aquarist who decides to keep these fish should take into account many factors: water quality, size and location of the aquarium, compatibility of gourami with other underwater inhabitants. Healthy and beautiful fish that are properly cared for will delight the owner for a long time.