Gourami fish are very popular pets among a large number of aquarists. They are valued for their peaceful nature, attractive coloration and relatively large size.
General information
Translated from the Javanese language, “gurami” literally means “a fish that sticks its nose out of the water.” And this name, like no other, emphasizes the main feature of these fish. The thing is that gourami has a special respiratory organ - the gill labyrinth. Previously, it was believed that this organ allows gourami to store water and thus survive drought or move between drying up reservoirs. But in fact, the labyrinth allows gourami fish to swallow and use atmospheric air for breathing. Therefore, they often have to rise to the surface of the water and take a life-giving sip, and if access to the surface of the water is blocked, the fish may die.
The second feature of gourami is its modified pelvic fins. In fish they have turned into thin long threads and serve as an organ of touch. Such an adaptation arose in the process of evolution for orientation in the turbid water of typical natural habitats. But even when kept in crystal clear aquariums, gourami fish do not lose the habit of feeling everything with their fins.
It is worth noting that the name “gurami” is a collective one. It is correct to call only representatives of the genus Trichogaster (Trichopodus) by this name, but historically, some species from similar genera also began to be called “gourami” by aquarists.
Appearance
Most types of gourami are small fish, growing no more than 10 cm in an aquarium. Although there are also large species: for example, serpentine gourami (body length 20-25 cm) or commercial gourami (grows up to 100 cm, but in aquariums the guest is very rare) .
The body of gourami fish is flattened laterally and slightly elongated. The pelvic fin extends from the middle of the abdomen and ends in a widening near the tail. The pectoral fins are represented by long thin filaments equal to the length of the body and serve as organs of touch. The Latin name of the genus Trichogaster is precisely derived from the words “trichos” - thread and “gaster” - stomach. In a more modern classification, “gaster” was replaced by “podus” - leg. After loss, the tactile whiskers can be restored over time.
The dorsal fin is a clear sign that allows you to determine the sex of a gourami fish. In males it is very elongated and pointed, while in females it is rounded.
Body color is quite varied and depends on the species. Quite a large number of color morphs of gourami have been bred. Males are much brighter colored than females. Fading of the color of gourami fish can serve as a symptom of disease.
History of appearance/discovery
The spread of gourami as an aquarium species is closely related to the name of the French scientist Pierre Carbonnier. In the middle of the 19th century, he worked on the acclimatization of animals from the tropics in Europe, including gourami fish. But here he had to face certain difficulties.
In their homeland - in the tropical waters of Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia - gourami fish could be found in the most unsuitable places for life: in rain barrels, gutters, rice fields. The water here was often dirty and cloudy. This suggested the incredible vitality of the gourami. But any attempts to deliver at least a few specimens to the Old World ended in disaster: all the fish died on the way. After numerous failures, gourami were considered a problem fish and its spread was slowed down. And only twenty years later it was possible to find out the reason for the constant death of this unpretentious fish on the road.
Unfortunately, at that time people did not have knowledge about the characteristics of labyrinth fish and the need for their access to atmospheric air. Captured settlers were placed in barrels filled to the top and sealed tightly. In such conditions, gouramis died en masse, often without even starting their sea voyage. And only after the barrels with fish began to be filled only 2/3, it was possible to deliver the first copies to Europe. This happened in 1896.
Gourami were first brought to Russia by A.S. Meshchersky, a famous amateur aquarist, who purchased them directly from Pierre Carbonnier. A great contribution to the dissemination of these beautiful fish was also made by Paul Matte (who brought his collection from Germany) and V.M. Desnitsky, who received gourami fish directly from Singapore.
Habitat
The main distribution area of gourami is Southeast Asia and adjacent islands. The spotted gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus) has the widest range. It lives over vast areas from India to the Malay Archipelago and forms many local color variations. On the islands of Sumatra and Borneo, pearl gourami (Trichogaster leeri) can be found everywhere. Thailand and Cambodia are the homeland of the moon gourami (Trichogaster microlepis). Due to their unpretentiousness, gourami fish were introduced in places where they were not historically found: on the island of Java, in the reservoirs of the Antilles in Central America. Often the appearance of these species is associated with aquarists who release aquarium fish into the wild.
Gourami can be found both in the flowing waters of rivers and streams, and in stagnant bodies of water, which at first glance seem unsuitable for life. Some species (spotted and brown gourami) can tolerate slight increases in salinity and are therefore found in tidal zones and in the mouths of rivers flowing into the ocean.
Kinds
As mentioned above, the “gourami” itself is four species from the genus Trichogaster:
- Brown gourami (Trichogaster microlepis)
- Moon gourami (Trichogaster pectoralis)
- Spotted gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus)
But traditionally, other closely related species that are popular among aquarists are also called “gourami”: Grunting gourami (Trichopsis vittata), .
The wide variety of color morphs of the Spotted Gourami also introduces some confusion into the classification: , and others.
Pearl gourami
Under natural conditions, it lives in water bodies of Southeast Asia and Indonesia. One of the most beautiful gourami, which looks very impressive in the aquarium. It got its name for its unusual body coloring. It is painted in a light silver color with a purple sheen. The back is yellow-brown, the side and fins are bluish. Light specks reminiscent of small pearls are scattered throughout the body. A dark, uneven line consisting of numerous dots runs along the middle of the body from the mouth to the caudal fin. During the mating season and during arousal, the male gourami changes color: his throat, chest and abdomen become bright, orange-red. The size does not exceed 10 cm.
Trichogaster trichopterus sumatranus var. Gold
Squad, family: labyrinthine.
Comfortable water temperature: 24 - 26°C.
Ph: 6,5-7,0.
The note: Today, Trichogasters are classified as Trichopodus; some biologists retain the previous nomenclature, while others use a new one. This has not yet been fully legalized. Both options are still used in parallel today. You can write it either way. However, according to the new nomenclature, all Trichogasters are now Trichopodus, and all Colyses are now Trichogasters!
Gold gourami compatibility: in fact, with all fish, even with small and medium-sized cichlids (apistograms). We do not recommend combining it with veiltails and similar fish.
Golden gourami is a popular fish. A really peaceful fish, but sometimes it gets aggressive. Some individual individuals can even be very aggressive, as they say, it depends on your luck. It is worth remembering that all labyrinths are characterized by intraspecific aggression.
Golden gourami is an artificial breeding form of blue gourami.
The golden gourami has a tall, slightly elongated and laterally compressed body. The mouth is small and slightly elongated upward. The dorsal fin is short, the anal fin is long, the ventral fins are elongated, thread-like. The body of the gourami is golden yellow with an orange tint. There are two dark spots on the side, one in the middle of the body, the other on the caudal peduncle. Blue spots are scattered throughout the body and fins. The male is larger and brighter than the females. It grows up to 13 cm in length. The lifespan of a fish in an aquarium with proper maintenance is up to 7 years.
The golden gourami is a peaceful, shy fish that, in case of danger, prefers to hide in dense thickets. It gets along well with various types of fish of large and small sizes, but sometimes males show aggression towards each other. They lead a diurnal lifestyle. Golden gourami stays in the upper and middle layers of water.
It is necessary to keep a golden gourami in a well-lit aquarium with a volume of at least 100 liters (for 4 fish) with thickets of living plants (including floating ones) and free space for swimming. It is desirable to have snags (the fish constantly stay near them), the soil is dark. Golden gourami breathes atmospheric air, rising to the surface of the water from time to time, so it is very important that the aquarium is covered with a lid and there is always warm air above the surface so that the fish does not catch a cold. Water parameters: hardness 8-10°, pH 6.5-7.0, temperature 24 - 26° C (able to tolerate lower water temperatures). Filtration, aeration and weekly changes of up to 30% of the water volume are required.
Golden gourami eats both live and dry food - branded food. When choosing food, you must take into account that the fish has a very small mouth. Tendency to overeat.
Feeding aquarium fish must be correct: balanced, varied. This fundamental rule is the key to the successful keeping of any fish, be it guppies or astronotuses. The article talks about this in detail, it outlines the basic principles of the diet and feeding regime for fish.
In this article, we note the most important thing - feeding fish should not be monotonous; the diet should include both dry food and live food. In addition, you need to take into account the gastronomic preferences of a particular fish and, depending on this, include in its diet food either with the highest protein content or, conversely, with plant ingredients.
Popular and popular food for fish, of course, is dry food. For example, you can find food from the Tetra company, the leader of the Russian market, on aquarium shelves all the time and everywhere; in fact, the range of food from this company is amazing. Tetra’s “gastronomic arsenal” includes individual food for a specific type of fish: goldfish, cichlids, loricariids, guppies, labyrinths, arowanas, discus, etc. Tetra has also developed specialized foods, for example, to enhance color, fortified, or for feeding fry. You can find out detailed information about all Tetra feeds on the company’s official website -
It should be noted that when purchasing any dry food, you should pay attention to the date of its manufacture and shelf life, try not to buy food in bulk, and also store the food in a closed state - this will help to avoid the development of pathogenic flora in it.
Golden gourami reaches sexual maturity at the age of 1 year.
In the photo there are sexual differences between male and female golden gourami
The sex can be determined by the dorsal fin. The male's dorsal fin is longer and pointed at the end, while the female's is shorter and rounded.
Before spawning, a pair of golden gouramis are fed generously with live food. During spawning, the golden gourami builds a nest. The spawning aquarium should be ~50 liters. The water level for golden gourami is not as critical as for other species, but it is better to keep it low, about 13-15 cm. Water parameters are the same as in a general aquarium, only the temperature rises a couple of degrees, 26 - 27C. Place floating plants, such as duckweed, on the surface of the water; they will serve as a building component for the nest.
After the pair reaches the spawning area, the male will begin to build a nest, usually in a corner. As soon as it is completed, mating games begin, the male swims in front of the female, spreading his fins until she allows him to hug her. The male tightly hugs the female with his body, squeezing eggs out of her and at the same time inseminating. The eggs are lighter than water and immediately float to the nest. An adult female can lay more than 800 eggs.
All of the above is just the fruit of observing this type of aquarium fish and collecting various information from owners and breeders. We would like to share with visitors not only information, but also with live emotions, allowing you to understand the world of aquariums more fully and subtly. Register on, participate in discussions on the forum, create profile topics where you will talk about your pets in the first person and first-hand, describe their habits, behavior and content, share with us your successes and joys, share and learn from experience others. We are interested in every bit of your experience, every second of your joy, every awareness of a mistake, which makes it possible for your comrades to avoid the same mistake. The more of us there are, the more pure and transparent drops of goodness there are in the life and everyday life of our seven billion society.
Beautiful photo selection of golden gourami
Fish of the suborder Labyrinthidae.
Gouramigolden, yellow, sunny, woody, lemon- under this name there can be found both individuals with pronounced dark (almost black) transverse stripes, and specimens completely devoid of any pattern.
Darker striped gold gouramis are sometimes called yellow or gold gouramis, and lighter colored fish without stripes or spots are called lemon gouramis. In addition to the pure form, the golden gourami also has all sorts of intermediate colors.
The golden gourami color form was developed by crossing various species of gourami (Trichogaster) with the spotted gourami.
Habitat- reservoirs of the island of Sumatra. It is found in streams, ponds, and swamps rich in vegetation.
The body is tall, slightly elongated and compressed at the sides. The mouth is small and slightly elongated upward. The eyes are large and bright red. The anal fin is long, has a longitudinal stripe of the same color (its size and brightness decrease with age). The dorsal fin is short. The pelvic fins are elongated and thread-like. The pelvic fins serve as organs of touch. The color is golden yellow with an orange tint. There are two dark spots on the side, one in the middle of the body, the other on the caudal peduncle.
Gender differences: The male is larger and brighter than the females.
The golden gourami grows up to 13 cm in length. The lifespan of a fish in an aquarium with proper maintenance is up to 7 years.
The golden gourami is a peaceful, slightly shy fish; in case of danger, it prefers to hide in dense thickets. Leads a daily lifestyle.
Golden gourami stays in the upper and middle layers of water. Gets along well with various types of large and medium-sized fish. Males are territorial and become very aggressive during the breeding season.
For golden gourami content You need an aquarium with a volume of at least 100 liters (for 4 fish) with thickets of living plants (including floating ones) and free space for swimming. It is desirable to have snags (the fish constantly stay near them), the soil is dark. The golden gourami breathes atmospheric air, rising to the surface of the water from time to time, so it is necessary that the aquarium is tightly covered with a lid and there is always warm air above the surface so that the fish does not catch a cold. Filtration, aeration and weekly changes of up to 30% of the water volume are required.
Gourami - aquarium orderlies, actively eat hydra brought in with live food, which is an enemy of fish.
Golden gourami consumes both live food, frozen food (bloodworms, tubifex, daphnia, cyclops), and substitutes. When choosing food, you must take into account that the fish has a very small mouth. Prone to overeating.
For breeding golden gourami you need an aquarium with a volume of 40 liters or more with a water level of no more than 20 cm and a temperature of 26-28°C. One part of the aquarium is densely planted with plants and moss (a refuge for the female during spawning). A week before spawning, females and males are seated in different containers and fed generously with live food. The male builds a nest of foam near the surface of the water. The female lays up to 2000 eggs. After the end of spawning, it is removed. The male remains in the aquarium and guards the nest with clutches and takes care of the offspring. The development of eggs depends on the water temperature and its stability. After a day, the larvae hatch. The male takes care of them until they turn into fry and swim. Then the male must be removed from the aquarium immediately. Starter food: “live dust”, ciliates. The fry grow quickly. The labyrinth organ is formed in fry at 10-14 days.
Golden gourami reaches sexual maturity at the age of 1 year.
Synonyms: Golden gourami, yellow gourami, sunny gourami, wood gourami, lemon gourami
Fish of the genus Trichogaster (Trichgaster), belonging to the family Labyrinthidae (Anabasidae), are often called by the incorrect name - gourami. In fact, gourami (Osphronemus gorami) is a large commercial fish that is rarely kept in aquariums.In total, the genus Trichogaster includes 4 species of fish:
- lunar trichogaster (T. microlepis)
- brown trichogaster (T.pectoralis)
- pearl trichogaster (T. leeri)
- spotted trichogaster (T. trichopterus)
Pearl gourami
Brown gourami is not distinguished by its bright color. The main color is brown, and a black longitudinal stripe runs along the body, capturing the eye. The male is slightly brighter than the female. The male is also larger than the female, his dorsal fin is pointed.
The second largest representative of the genus Trichogaster. In an aquarium it can grow to the same size as a brown gourami, but moon gouramis are usually smaller. This is also a peaceful fish. They lived in my aquarium with brown gouras and the above-mentioned neighbors. Moon gourami are very beautiful, the main body color is silver, often with a bluish tint. Males are larger, the throat and “whiskers” (modified pelvic fins) are red-orange. Females are smaller, even silver in color, without red-orange tints. It is often written that moon gouramis are shy, but I didn’t notice this. They are no more timid than other trichogasters. The only minus of the moon gourami is its love for aquatic vegetation. Only this type of gourami is not averse to eating soft aquarium plants. Moreover, moon gouramis are equally interested in both floating plants and those planted in the ground. First, they ate all my duckweed, pistia, watercolor, and salvinia. And the next time they only liked duckweed. In addition, they ate pellia, rotala, soft-leaved ferns...
U " spotted gourami" Many different color morphs have been bred. The basis for them was a spotted gourami (the main color is gray-blue, with two black spots on the body and at the root of the tail).
Basic color morphs:
1. Blue:
- actually blue gourami;
- Sumatran gourami - the color has shades of purple;
- marbled gourami - large black spots of irregular shape on a blue background, they lighten with age;
- blue-red gourami - a blue gourami with a red anal fin.
2. Yellow:
- Actually yellow gourami;
- Golden gourami is a very bright yellow color with large black spots;
- Yellow-red gourami - a yellow gourami without spots, with a red anal fin; The golden gourami's anal fin is also red when young, but it turns pale with age.
- Snow gourami.
"Pearl Gourami" Undeservedly considered the most whimsical of the whole group, but I believe that this is a misconception. The color of the pearl gourami, in my opinion, is the most beautiful of the group: small pearlescent spots are scattered across the gray-lilac body. Its albino form has also been bred, but I have never seen it on sale.
Interspecific crosses are possible between spotted and pearl gouramis. All color variations (“breeds”) of spotted gourami can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. An example of this is the striped (tiger) gourami, obtained from crossing the marbled and golden gourami.
In terms of temperament, all types of gourami are ambiguous; it all depends on the character of the individual individual. There are also overly aggressive pearl gouramis and very peaceful spotted gouramis. Although, in general, aggressiveness is most characteristic of spotted gourami.
Gourami content:All representatives of the Trichogaster genus are quite large fish and, accordingly, require suitable aquarium sizes. For pearl and spotted gourami - from 50 liters, for brown and moon gourami - from 110 liters. Since the genus Trichogaster is part of the labyrinthine family, it is clear that they breathe atmospheric air and do not need a compressor.
A filter is not necessary for them, but if there is one, then it is better to direct its outlet to the wall of the aquarium so that the current does not interfere with the gouramis building foam nests. Spotted and moonlit gouramis can even build them in a community aquarium.
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.
If the room where the aquarium is located is always warm, then a heater is not necessary. But you still need to have it in stock, since often in the fall, when it is already cold and the heating has not yet been turned on, it can be very cool in the aquariums. The optimal temperature for gourami is 22 - 26 degrees; in the spawning area the temperature should be 2 - 3 degrees higher.
The aquarium for gourami should be densely planted; they do not spoil the plants (except for the moon gourami). The species composition of plants depends on the power of the aquarium lamp. But the presence in the aquarium of either floating vegetation (pistia, riccia, paradise, salvinia, etc.) or floating leaves of nymphs or vallisneria is mandatory. Gourami feel more relaxed when part of the water surface is covered with plants. And also, this is simply necessary for gourami spawning.
In my opinion, gourami look better on dark soil. Various driftwood pieces are preferred for decoration. The humic substances released by driftwood improve the health of fish and make the water in the aquarium similar to natural water, as in the habitats of fish of the genus Trichogaster.
The aquarium must be covered with a cover glass or a lid, as gouramis are good jumpers. Gourami are unpretentious, they will be happy with average water hardness and a pH of about 7. But they will feel better in slightly soft and slightly acidic water.
From the labyrinthine family, all representatives of the genus Colisa (Colisa) (Lalius, striped coliza, honey gourami and labiaza), all types of macropods, cupanuses, and some species of wild cockerels (for example, Betta raja, Betta bellica) will be suitable neighbors for gourami. Of the Siamese cockerels (Betta splendens) with gourami, only short-tailed cockerels (posters) can be kept. Since the long fins of other gourami cockerels can be eaten.
Among other fish, you can add angelfish, pelvicachromis, apistograms, various types of characin fish (neons, minors, rasboras), catfish (corydoras, ancistrus) in company with gourami. Gourami should not be planted together with predatory cichlids - labidochromis, pseudotropheus, parrots. Goldfish will not be suitable neighbors because of different temperature conditions and different conditions of detention. . It is not advisable to keep gourami together with viviparous fish, as they require different water parameters.
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Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labyrinthidae
Family: Macropodaceae
Appearance
The golden gourami has a golden body color, the belly is lighter than the back. There are two dark spots on the body: in the middle of the body and near the base of the tail. There are light spots on the tail and fins, and dark stripes on the back, which become especially noticeable during spawning. Golden gouramis grow in length up to 10 - 12 cm. Visual sexual differences: the dorsal fin of the male is pointed and more elongated towards the tail; males are slimmer and brighter than females. The pelvic fins resemble whiskers in shape and serve as organs of touch.
The conditions for keeping golden gouramis are quite simple to create: aquarium water temperature 23 - 28 o C with a hardness of 5 - 20 o, acidity 6 - 8. For keeping you need to take an aquarium with a capacity of 12 liters per individual, it should be well lit, with thickets of plants , covered with a coverslip. It is better to equip the aquarium with a filter. Despite the fact that this fish has a labyrinth and breathes atmospheric air, it is better to ensure cleanliness in the aquarium; the water must be purified.
Golden gouramis are best kept with calm fish; gouramis themselves do not show aggression towards their neighbors, and do not look good with small fish, for example, guppies, neons. They themselves do not enter into conflicts, preferring to hide somewhere in the plants. But very small fish or fry may well be perceived as food. Their movements are leisurely and smooth. Some types of aquarium fish, such as barbs and swordtails, can terrorize them by pulling their filamentous fins. It is better to avoid such neighbors.
The aquarium for keeping these fish is not very large, from 40 liters. The soil should preferably be dark and the lighting should be bright. In this case, your pets will acquire the brightest color possible. Living plants should be planted in groups, leaving space for swimming. The presence of floating plants is a must, since even in a general aquarium, a male gourami may begin to nest among them. Most varieties of these fish are not demanding on the amount of oxygen. If there is aeration of water in the aquarium, then it should not create strong currents. In their natural environment, these aquarium inhabitants are accustomed to standing water. Gourami fish prefer to swim in the middle or upper layer of water. The temperature in the aquarium when keeping them should be in the range of 24-28 degrees. In most cases, the composition of water is not important. Life expectancy in an aquarium with good care can reach 5-7 years.
Breeding
Golden gouramis reach sexual maturity at 7 - 8 months.
Spawning of golden gourami can occur both in a general aquarium and in a separate spawning tank. Breeding this fish is not very difficult. Spawning in a community aquarium occurs if fish ready for throwing are not transplanted into a spawning tank; the male begins to build a nest from foam, using vegetation for this. Selects the warmest place in the aquarium to build a nest - near the heater.
If you want to get a good offspring, you should remove the spawning pair. First, the male is removed, usually the pair is kept separately before spawning for 3 days to a week and fed generously. A stimulus for spawning can be the addition of fresh water up to a third of the volume of the spawning tank. Just before spawning, the female is also placed in the spawning tank.
From gourami, you can tell their readiness for spawning by the appearance of the female, and by the behavior of the pair, the female often and willingly swims up to the male, and he, fiercely driving other fish away from the place he occupied, if spawning occurs in a common aquarium, begins building a foam nest at the surface of the water. The water parameters for spawning are as follows: water temperature 26 - 28 o C, hardness 4 - 10 o, acidity 5.8 - 6.8. A spawning tank with a volume of up to 15 liters is suitable.
In the spawning area, it is imperative to place plants growing in the ground, and plants that float on the surface provide shelter for the female. This is done in order to protect the female from possible aggressiveness of the male.
Gourami placed in the spawning area change color and acquire a bright mating plumage. By spreading their fins, they are, as they say, “cocking.” The constant courtship of the male for the female, the construction and maintenance of the nest is the main evidence of imminent spawning.
A nest is built from air bubbles, released in large numbers from the male’s mouth. Air bubbles, united by plant branches floating on the surface of the water, sometimes form a flat, vague island resembling whipped foam. Construction of the nest, the diameter of which sometimes reaches 7–8 cm, lasts 2–3 days. All this time, the male jealously guards his structure and eats almost nothing.
1 - 2 days after preparing the nest, the golden gourami begins to spawn: the male drives the female under the nest and fertilizes the eggs with milt. The eggs, light compared to water, float to the top, the exhausted fish smoothly sink to the bottom and disperse in different directions - the female swims away to cover, and the male rushes to the nest, collects with his mouth the eggs that did not end up in the nest, and places them in place. Soon the female appears, and the entire marking ritual is completely repeated. Spawning can last 3 - 4 hours, but the breaks between marks get longer and longer and, finally, the female stops appearing - the spawning is over. The female lays up to 2000 eggs. During the spawning period, 4-5 litters are produced from gourami, preparing the breeders each time for 2-3 weeks. When spawning golden gourami, you need to be careful, as the male poses a danger to the physical condition and life of the female gourami.
During the first spawning of a pair, there may be a failure, the reasons for which may be overexposed eggs, improper preparation of the pair, or human inattention in preparing for spawning.
After the end of spawning, the female can be removed from the spawning area, although there is evidence that a pair of golden gouramis can jointly care for the offspring. The female must be caught very carefully and away from the nest. If the male remains in the aquarium, he takes care of the eggs, supports the nest, and makes sure that the eggs do not swim out of the nest. From time to time, the male either places the floating egg in its place or renews the nest with a new portion of air bubbles. Incubation of eggs lasts approximately 1 - 2 days, after which the fry hatch. The development of eggs depends on the water temperature and its stability.
The larvae, hatched from the eggs, hang motionless in the foam of the nest, but sometimes fall out of it, and then the male, showing paternal care for the offspring, takes them into his mouth and places them in place. After 2 - 3 days, the larvae enter the fry stage and begin to swim. At the moment when the larvae turn into fry, the male or pair must be removed from the spawning ground, since hungry gouramis, who do not feed during spawning, can eat their offspring. At this time, the water level is reduced to 10 cm and held for about a month.
The fry are fed generously with ciliates, fine “dust,” curdled milk, and egg yolk. Here you need to ensure that the food is eaten by the fry. The fry grow quickly, some fry may grow faster than others, then the larger and more developed ones provide greater competition to the weaker ones, which can be eaten. Therefore, here you need to make a choice: leave only the more developed part of the fry, or constantly sort them by size. For two months, the fry are fed generously and kept at a minimum temperature of 26 o C (the temperature at which spawning occurred is maintained); after this period, it must be consistently reduced to the temperature at which adult golden gourami are kept. The labyrinthine organ is formed in the fry in about a month.
Feeding
Gourami can eat almost any type of food - live, frozen, dry, and they also eat plant foods. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is the small size of the mouth; they can choke on food that is too large; they take food for aquarium fish from the surface and in the water column. If you need to go on vacation or a business trip, then adult fish can easily endure a hunger strike for 1-2 weeks.
