Marble gourami male and female how to distinguish. How to care for gourami in an aquarium. pearl fish brothers

Any aquarist, when buying new fish, tries to acquire animals of different sexes so that he can breed them. Sometimes males and females are so similar that only experienced specialists are able to discern the distinguishing features that fish of different sexes have.

male gourami regardless of the type, it always has quite impressive dimensions. But it must be said that this sign should be paid attention when the fish approaches the age of puberty, since before this period the male lags behind in growth from the fish of the opposite sex. In addition, the male gourami has a bright coloration, which intensifies even more just before spawning itself. Thus, most aquarists note the appearance of very bright, saturated colors in the anal fin area, which can turn bright orange or scarlet, as well as take on a darker shade. As for the fins, they are also large and always pointed.

female gourami during the period of active growth, it is distinguished by a rapid gain in body weight, which, however, during puberty is always less than in males. As for the color, it is somewhat paler than that of the males. And even during the spawning period, the color of the female, although it changes, is not much. Also, aquarists distinguish female gourami by the shape of their fins, which are rounded and rather small in relation to body length.

On the left is a male gourami. Right - female

The first step is to pay attention to their external differences. Male gouramis are somewhat larger than females, but this trait should only be used when the fish have reached the age of puberty. This is due to the fact that when the fish are still fry, females grow faster than members of the opposite sex. Then you should look at the color of the animals, since males always look much brighter than their companions, and this does not depend on what period they are compared in - immediately before spawning or long before it. And another important distinguishing feature is the fact that in male gourami the fin is always longer, reaching almost to the tail, and pointed, while in the female gourami it has a rounded shape and is not so long.

Findings site

1. The body of the male at puberty is always larger than that of the female;
2. The color of the male gourami is always brighter and more intense than that of the female, and before spawning, his abdomen becomes bright orange or deep red, but it can also be dark, and spots throughout the body become more pronounced;
3. The fin of the female gourami is small and has a rounded shape, while in the male it often reaches the tail and is always pointed at the end.

Novice aquarium fish lovers always pay attention to cute gouramis, who attract not only with their beauty, but also with a calm, peaceful disposition. Seriously thinking about breeding such fish, many people have the question of how to distinguish gourami by sex. But in fact, it turns out that determining the sex of a fish is quite easy. Now let's talk about everything in more detail.

External differences

The question, a boy in front of you or a girl, becomes especially relevant at the moment when the breeding season of these cute creatures begins. While the fish are still small, it can be very difficult to distinguish the female from the male. But already at the age of 6-7 months, gourami show clear signs of gender differences.

There are several ways to distinguish a female from a male. Let's start with external differences. Take a close look at your pet. If he has a long dorsal fin that reaches almost to the very tail, then this indicates that you have a male in front of you. In addition, in boys, this fin has a more pointed shape. In girls, the dorsal fin is much shorter and has a smooth rounded shape.

You can also tell them apart by their anal fin. If the anal fin of the fish is round and small, then this indicates that you have a girl in front of you. In males, it is slightly longer and its tip also has a pointed shape, as is the case with the dorsal fin.

The male can also be distinguished from the female by size. Boys are many times larger than females. However, it should be noted that they can be distinguished by size only after the pets are at least 6 months old.

Color

Next, pay attention to the color of the fish. As a rule, the characteristic color appears in gourami immediately before spawning. Pay attention to the color of your fish's belly. In males, it is painted in a bright scarlet or orange color. This applies to those fish that initially have a bright color.

If you have a pearl-colored pet in front of you, then a barely noticeable red stripe appears on his abdomen during this period. In males of a different color, for example, in "honey", either a red stripe appears, or the abdomen becomes a darker shade. In spotted males, small spots on the fins become more saturated and bright in color, and the body is slightly darker than usual. The stripes are almost black.

It is worth noting that By color, it is possible to distinguish a female from a male not only during the breeding season.

All fish-boys have a brighter and more saturated color than girls have.

Other differences

During their active growth, females gain weight much faster. As a result, the body of the female becomes denser and fuller. Males, growing up, remain more "slim".

In the event that you still doubt whether the male or female is in front of you, then you can find other differences between them. For example, they still differ in liking. If you carefully observe the behavior of your aquarium fish, then soon it will be possible to understand that gouramis also differ in character. Males are much more active and mobile.

Gourami boys can show a real masculine character if you carefully observe their behavior. And although they are peaceful and friendly fish, when an opponent approaches, they begin to behave very aggressively and actively defend their territory. That is why experts recommend purchasing a large aquarium in order to provide them with more comfortable conditions. If several males live in a small aquarium, they will constantly fight for territory.

Before spawning, not only the color changes, but also the behavior of the fish. If you notice that your pets have begun to chase each other in the aquarium, then pay attention to who exactly is trying to catch up. Usually, it is males chasing females, thereby attracting their attention.

It is worth noting that at the same time, the boys do not show any aggression towards the females at all. During this “race”, males often find themselves in the upper layer of water and actively release bubbles.

If such a “race” does not occur during the spawning period, then, most likely, these are males chasing each other. Usually, their behavior indicates that they cannot divide the territory.

How to determine the gender of gourami is described in the next video.

Gourami are ideal for breeding outside the will. The size of an adult does not exceed 11 centimeters. The ancestors of these fish were very common in the waters of Vietnam and Indonesia. Today, the pearl gourami has the perfect coloration to make your aquarium unique. Throughout the silvery-purple body of the fish there are small spots resembling pearls.

All representatives of gourami have distinctive features. The ventral fins along the edges are distinguished by peculiar threads that give them an unusual look. In the wild, this was necessary, since the water was cloudy in habitats, so fin mutations are quite justified. In addition, all fish have a different way of breathing. They need atmospheric air, so when transporting the fish, ensure that they can breathe on the surface of the water, otherwise they may not be brought to the aquarium.

pearl fish brothers

In addition to pearl gourami, you can find blue, marble, honey, etc. They all have common features:

• Elongated shape;
• Oval body;
• Dark stripes on a light background;
• There are reddish spots on the back and tail;
• transparent fins.

All these fish are very beautiful. An interesting fact is that during spawning, the color of the eyes of the fish changes. From dark they become bright red. In addition, it is possible to determine that the period of puberty has come due to the darkening of the transverse stripes on the body, and the anal fin has acquired bright spots that become very noticeable against a dark background.

You can distinguish a female from a male by color and fins. The male is much brighter than his girlfriend. But if there is no way to compare with each other, then pay attention to the shape of the dorsal fin - in males it is elongated and pointed at the end, and in the female it is round. Pearl gourami differs from the typical representative of the spawning color. At this time, bright orange spots form on the "breast" of the fish. Avid aquarists are waiting for this phenomenon, they have the opportunity to capture the object of their pride as a keepsake. Fans of this type of fish unite in communities and share their achievements.

Pearl gourami is valued for its peaceful nature. They have never been seen in aggressive behavior. On the contrary, they are often attacked by unkind neighbors. The former never attack, and in the event of a conflict, they try to quickly retire to the shelter - thickets of green algae. It is not recommended to keep them in an aquarium with swordtails and barbs.

• Bright lighting;
• Dark ground;
• The presence of plants;
• Availability of free space for swimming;
• The water temperature is 24-28 degrees.

As you can see, it is not difficult to provide ideal conditions for fish. Keeping in an aquarium with a lot of plants will make the microclimate among the neighbors friendlier. The offended can always hide in the thickets. In addition, vegetation is necessary for the male to build a nest.

Oxygen starvation does not frighten these fish, but if you still decide to provide them with additional air flow, then pay attention that there are no strong currents. This can cause significant inconvenience to the fish.

Pearl gourami is also not a gourmet. He is happy to eat different types of food - frozen, dry, live. Purchased food is ideal for feeding them, just pay attention that it is not too large, otherwise the fish may choke on it. You don’t have to worry about their maintenance during the departure, they are able to live without food for one or even two weeks. The life cycle of gourami is about 6 years, which is not bad for aquarium inhabitants.

Reproduction of aquarium gourami

Due to the long period of life, pearl gourami begin to breed only at the age of one. The content at the time of reproduction changes. For spawning, it is better to choose another aquarium, the size of which does not exceed 30 liters. This must be done for the safety of the fry, as they will certainly be eaten in the general aquarium. In a new aquarium, the ideal temperature is 27 degrees.

Two weeks before the start of spawning, the male and female are seated. It is necessary to change the feed, bloodworms and coretra are ideal. Choose food that is larger than fry. A signal that it is time to start breeding is an increase in the temperature of the water in the aquarium. An additional incentive for pearl fish will be the addition of water. A prerequisite - you can not get the fish out of the aquarium, it is enough to change part of the water to a new one. If you want to speed up the process, then use water that is softer than in the main aquarium.

The male builds a nest for future spawning. At this time, you can notice a fairly large air cloud in dense thickets. Speaking of them, take care that young parents have a shelter, individuals will not spawn without algae. Being engaged in construction, the male releases a small air bubble from his mouth, putting them in one place, he gets a nest about 5 centimeters in size. The female, as befits a real woman, does not participate in the construction.

The males are very accommodating. They can chase the female for a long time if she is not ready. As soon as the moment X comes, she settles under the nest and begins to spawn. The male picks up the eggs that the female has laid and takes them to the nest. This process is very exciting and amazing. Many aquarists dream of seeing it with their own eyes. The number of eggs can reach several thousand, but not everyone is destined to become adults. Surprisingly, the main part of the care of the nest is taken by the male, the female believes that her mission has been completed. They have enough work, it is necessary to maintain the nest in proper condition and return the eggs to their place.

As soon as you notice that the fry began to appear, you need to plant a caring father. The fact is that by returning them to the nest out of habit, he can cause significant damage to fragile offspring. Once the adults have been removed, start feeding the young with fine food so they can handle it. Early in their lives, young gouramis need supplemental oxygen, so provide an aeration system. At one point, you may notice that the fry develop unevenly. At this point, you need to seat large and small in different places, so you increase their survival rate.

Video of the care and maintenance of Grami pearl:

Marble gourami belong to the labyrinth family. Peaceful, calm and very curious fish with original colors are popular not only among beginners, but also among experienced aquarists. They live quietly in a common aquarium with similar species of fish, are easy to keep and breed, live long enough and look great in any home pond.

Marble gourami will decorate any aquarium

Description of the species

Marble gourami is not found in nature. This artificially bred aquarium form is the result of crossing the spotted and blue gourami. The appearance of the fish meets the following standards:

• The body is elongated, flattened laterally.
• Fins - pectoral fins are transparent, large, ventral ones are modified into long, thin whiskers, which are the organ of touch. The anal fin extends from the chest to the base of the tail.

Marble gourami artificially bred species of aquarium fish

• The respiratory organ is a complex labyrinth system that allows fish to breathe air.
• Marble color - dark spots of irregular shape and different sizes are scattered on a silver-gray background.
• Growth - 10-15 cm, depending on the volume of the aquarium.
• Life expectancy is 4 to 8 years.

The sex of the male and female marbled gourami is determined by size (females are smaller, with a more rounded body) and the shape of the dorsal fin. In the male it is long, pointed, reaching to the base of the tail, in the female it is short and round.

Character and compatibility

All types of gourami are slow and non-conflict. Good neighbors for them will be:

• zebrafish;
• mollies;
• picilia;
• iris;
• ancistrus;

Relatively compatible with the following species:

• discus;
• acne;
• guppies.

Completely incompatible:

• cockerels;
• African and South American cichlids;
• goldfish;
• koi;
• astronotus;
• Sumatran barbs.

Marble gourami get along well with most aquarium fish.

The fry of other labyrinth fish can be considered live food and dine on them.

Often there are intraspecific skirmishes between males, always ending safely. Therefore, it is recommended to keep a pair of gourami or one male and two females in one aquarium. If there are more males, the aquarium is densely planted with plants so that the weaker ones have a place to hide.

Rules of care and maintenance

Even a novice in the aquarium hobby will cope with marble gourami

Aquarium size. For a flock of 5-7 young individuals, a volume of 50 liters is sufficient. For an adult couple, the aquarium should be at least 80 liters. Gourami can jump out of the aquarium during games, so it is recommended to close it with a lid or glass that does not fit snugly so that the fish have the opportunity to breathe atmospheric air. The distance between the glass and the water surface should be at least 8-10 cm so that the air and water temperatures are the same so that the fish cannot swallow cold air and get sick.

Water readings must be within the following limits:

• temperature - 23−28 degrees;
• acidity - 6−8.8;
• hardness - 5−35.

aeration and filtration. It is advisable to set the internal aquarium filter to the minimum mode, the fish prefer stagnant water. For a comfortable maintenance of marble gourami, aeration is not necessary, it is enough to do a weekly water change of 20% of the volume of the aquarium.

It is better to cover the aquarium with gourami with a lid, as the fish can jump out

Lighting. During the day, the fish have enough ordinary sunlight, in the evening the aquarium is illuminated with a fluorescent or LED lamp located above the pond.

Priming. To make the fish stand out brightly against the background of the aquarium, it is recommended to fill it with dark-colored soil. Coarse river sand or small pebbles are suitable, and you can also use granite chips.

Plants are planted in the background and on the sides of the reservoir, the center is left free. The fish should have a place to swim. You can plant hornwort, elodea, cryptocoryne, vallisneria, echinodorus, fern. There must be floating plants - duckweed, richia, pistia or salvinia, which will be convenient for males to build a nest.

In the presence of floating plants, the aquarist needs to be controlled so that the fish can safely float up and swallow air. They cannot breathe oxygen dissolved in water.

Marble gourami look spectacular against a dark background

The scenery can be very diverse - these are snags, shards, ceramic pots, models of castles, sunken ships and just mounds of large stones.

Reproduction features

The fish become sexually mature at the age of 8 to 12 months. The spawning procedure is simple, but the pair will need a separate spawning area with a volume of at least 30 liters, densely planted with plants, with a water temperature of 27 degrees. It must be filled to a height of no more than 15 cm.

It is recommended to cover the aquarium so as not to interfere with the spawning of fish. Spawning in a common aquarium is undesirable, other inhabitants or the father himself can eat caviar and fry if he considers that his offspring are in danger. Therefore, for the normal reproduction of marble gourami, they are provided with a separate content.

During the spawning period, it is better to plant gourami in a separate aquarium in order to protect eggs and fry from other fish.

To encourage producers to spawn, they are seated and begin to be plentifully fed with live food - bloodworms or coretra. The readiness of the female for spawning is determined by the rounded belly, dark from caviar. The couple is immediately transplanted into a pre-prepared spawning ground.

Papa gourami starts building a foam nest. In the bubbles of foam, fry will develop, which will be monitored by dad in the future. When the nest building is completed, the mating season will begin. The color of the male will become bright, he will take care of the female, forcing her to start spawning.

Male and female gourami should not be in the same aquarium

When the female is ready, she will swim up to the nest herself and settle down strictly under it. The male gently embraces her with his body, helping to lay eggs, immediately fertilizes them, then carefully collects them with his mouth and places them in the nest. At a time, the female spawns up to 800 eggs, most of which die.

When the spawning ends, the female is removed, the father, guarding the nest, can drive her to death. As soon as the fry swim out of the nest, the dad is also removed so that he does not harm them when trying to return them back.

The fry are fed with microworms and ciliates, as they grow, they are transferred to nematodes and Artemia nauplii. It is strongly not recommended to feed dry food, it leads to mass death of offspring.

During this period, aeration is very important, since the labyrinth in babies has not yet developed, and they can suffocate. As the fry grow, they are sorted by size and deposited, larger ones can eat their smaller and weaker counterparts.

Nutrition and types of food

Gourami are omnivorous and can eat any food, the choice of which is an important criterion - the size of its particles. The mouth of the fish is small, and they are simply not able to swallow large particles. Gourami can be offered food such as:

• alive;
• dry;
• frozen;

They also give pieces of cucumber pre-scalded with boiling water (they are pricked on a fork and pressed to the bottom of the aquarium so that they do not float up), lettuce or dandelion leaves, bread crumbs and oatmeal (they do not need to be poured with boiling water).

Food for gourami should be medium-sized grinding

Do not disdain hydra planaria gourami, they can eat snails and hunt mosquitoes. They look out for prey, then forcefully release a stream of water into it and quickly eat the insect that has fallen into the water.

Once a week, the fish are satisfied with a fasting day, gourami are prone to overeating. But they can also easily go hungry for up to two weeks, for example, if the owner went on vacation.

Diseases and prevention

Gourami are resistant to various diseases, but they can be their carriers and infect other inhabitants of the home reservoir. Therefore, newly acquired fish should be kept in quarantine. Fish usually get sick:

• Lymphocytosis (colloquially semolina), a sick gourami looks as if showered with semolina.
• Aeromonosis - the fish become slow, refuse to feed. The abdomen is swollen and covered with bruises, and the scales rise up and bristle.
• Pseudomonosis - expressed by dark spots, which subsequently turn into ulcers.

For pets to be healthy and active, it is enough to provide them with quality nutrition and proper care.

If you dream that your aquarium is inhabited by unpretentious care, friendly and beautiful fish, then you will certainly suit the thread-bearing gourami. And in order for them to multiply, it is necessary to acquire individuals of both sexes. How to distinguish a female gourami from a male?

Gourami gender: determined by external signs

Thread-bearing gourami belong to the genus of labyrinth fish, and four main species are bred in aquariums:

• spotted;
• blue;
• marble.

Moreover, in any species, the difference between a female and a male is noticeable to the naked eye.

First, the size. In nature, thread-bearers grow up to 15 cm, but domesticated species rarely have more than 10 cm in length. The female is smaller than the male and not as slender as he. Girls are more “downed”, strong.

The male gourami is larger and has a brighter color.

Secondly, color. Male and female of the same species have a significant difference in this parameter. And here the male wins again: he is brighter and more elegant. This becomes especially obvious before spawning, when pigmentation intensifies. For example, in spotted thread-bearers, the spots of the dorsal fin become brighter, and in pearl ones, the chest and anterior part of the abdomen are covered with a reddish-orange “blush”.

Third, the dorsal fin. To understand whether a boy or a girl is in front of you, carefully examine this part of the fish body. A long and large fin gives out a male, and a shorter and rounded one - a female. It is the shape and size of the dorsal fin that is the most reliable sexual characteristic.

The anal fin is also different in fishes: shorter and rounder in a girl, longer and more pointed in a boy.

The behavior of gourami also betrays their gender.

Did you know that you can determine the gender of gourami by simply observing how these fish behave in an aquarium?

Male thread-bearers are territorial fish, they defend the boundaries of their possessions and can forget about their friendliness if a potential rival invades. So, if your aquarium cannot boast of spaciousness, then you can’t put more than one male in it. But for a large aquarium, this rule is irrelevant: the males will divide the territory among themselves and will be able to coexist very peacefully.

Have you noticed that the gourami are chasing each other? Now take a closer look at who is “running away” and who is “catching up”. Usually this happens before spawning: the male chases the female gourami, but this is such a kind of mating dance. In this case, no aggression should be observed. Confirmation of mating games is the color of the male, which becomes more intense and brighter. At the same time, from time to time, the "boyfriend" will swim to the surface of the water and release a trickle of bubbles. This is a sure sign that it's time for the couple to sit down for spawning.

The mating dance of the gourami.

However, the male can be not so gallant if the female has already shed her eggs. He can drive away the female not only during the construction of the nest, but even if the eggs were eaten by other fish (this very often happens if the female is not put in a separate aquarium for spawning) - this is how the natural instinct works.

True, males can also chase each other, as a rule, without dividing the territory or the “lady of the heart”. At the same time, thread-like ventral fins often suffer in thread-bearing birds. However, these fins regenerate quickly.

Why is it important to be able to distinguish between sexes in gourami

• Planting two male gourami in a small aquarium means dooming them to involuntary rivalry. Therefore, the ideal option is a pair of heterosexual fish.
• Not knowing how to distinguish a female from a male, you can miss the spawning time. Or accidentally deposit a couple of males for spawning and unsuccessfully wait for offspring. And all because many people mistake a fat male for a female with caviar.
• By choosing the right gourami, you will ensure their reproduction, and these fish, believe me, are worth spending your time on caring for them and their offspring. Gourami - graceful and peaceful inhabitants of the aquarium diversify the life of a small underwater world and will cheer you up every day.