The unpretentious and hardy gourami have long been one of the most popular species of aquarium fish. They get on well with their neighbors, although males are gourami - territorial fish, so experts advise to keep only one male in the aquarium. Paul gourami are easy to distinguish. Sexual differences - a pointed upper fin in a male, and a rounded, rounded - in a female, males also differ in more impressive sizes.
Reproduction of aquarium fish by gourami
If guru-males begin to build a nest of foam, then they are ready for reproduction. Usually, it happens at the age of the year. The male can and should be helped. Firstly, the water level in the aquarium during this period should not exceed 15 cm. Secondly, he needs construction materials - therefore it is advisable to put small floating plants in spawning grounds. They will also help the female to hide from the annoying courtship of the male after spawning.
Gourami can also breed in a common aquarium. But if this does not happen, the reproduction should begin with the "moving" of the male from the main aquarium to spawning grounds. In a spawning vessel with a volume of 15-20 liters there should be standing water, so that the constructed nest does not collapse, the water temperature is warmed to 28-29 ° С.
The male spends all his time around a nest, whose diameter reaches 7 cm. This is the future place for the offspring. When the male has already acquired such a place, a female is transplanted to it.
Pregnant gourami looks like other pregnant fish - it has a rounded abdomen. And the male sees it. If the female is ready to spawn, then he immediately starts courting her in every possible way, changes color and becomes especially beautiful. If the female is not ready - can drive up to the loss of the tail and fins or even to death. Before spawning, producers are heavily fed.
The process of pairing with gourami
The pairing with gourami looks very funny: the male, as it were, invites the female to the nest and when she finally agrees, they together are located under this shelter. The male turns the girlfriend upside down to the nest and squeezes caviar out of it, fertilizing at the same time. After that, he releases the female, and he picks up the eggs that fall on the bottom of the aquarium and returns them to the nest. Squeezes the male from the female several times and each time it is more difficult for him to drive the female under the nest. The male is angry and becomes aggressive, the female hides in the grassy thickets. The spawning process can take up to 4 hours.
Growing fry with fry
After spawning it is better to immediately remove the female, otherwise the angry father, who protects his nest and offspring, can throw out his aggression on her. The male gourami actually cultivates fry. The eggs are well kept in the foam nest, but if they suddenly go to the bottom, the male reacts immediately and returns them back. In a day or two, the fry hatch. The time of incubation depends on the temperature of the water, 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,
Reproduction by pearl gourami, one of the most beautiful species, is a little more complicated. It is recommended during the spawning period to be very careful about what is happening in spawning, in no case do not bother fish.
Reproduction of other varieties - gourami marble, blue, honey, etc., goes according to the same scenario.