Makin' Gourami Babies ;)

[Kerryk]

Hello all,
I've done a bunch of reading on breeding gourami's...and my female is all alone in her 15 gal tank getting ready for the male to be introduced (not that she knows that ) Just wondering if anyone has any general tips.

 

[GuppyDude]

i dont know y willy hasn't moved your post but i think ur in the wrong forum, gouramis lay eggs in a nest much like bettas so that would be the place to ask around at

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Kerryk

I just read your thread about filtration for your gourami fry and will respond there too. Have your gouramis spawned yet, or are you just getting prepared?

Have you considered how you will feed them? If so, what do you plan to do? This can be a problem if you are not ready because gourami fry are incredibly tiny.

 

[GuppyDude]

are they even smaller that betta fry?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi GuppyDude

That's a very good question, but it's one I don't know the answer to. I've raised gouramis but not bettas. I'd be interested to know the answer as well.

In many other respects they are alike. Unlike most other fish, they both have to develop their labyrinths, and that can be the most critical period of their growth.

 

[Doggfather]

I'v covered breeding Gourami in my pinned topic, so you could always have a look there, if you havn't already

As inchworm said gourami fry are extremly difficult to feed. Unlike livebearers crushed flake food won't cut it. You'll need to get your hands on either some liquifry, or infusoria for the first week or so and then they'll do best on a diet of BBS (Baby Brine Shrimp). Once you have them feeding, you should have many problems.

 

[Kerryk]

My two fishes have been in their own "breeding tank" for over a week now...you know the saying..."don't drink the water fish %&#* in it"...well if your thirsty come to my house
The temp has been at about 28 water is good, not a huge current...live plants, dark gravel...flower pot, and a floating lettuce leaf (which has been changed so it doesn't rot). Maybe they're just waiting for the right "mood".
Diet consists of bloodworms, tetra min, and some other sort of worm (my brain isn't working yet).
They were all over eachother in the community aquarium so I got all exicited thinking that I was going to be a surrogate mommie, and nothing yet. I think I'll wait it out for another week or so...see what happens...they seem to be happy at least

 

[wuvmybetta]

How exciting!! I wish you the best of luck Perhaps some mood lighting is in order

 

[StrontiumDog]

Hi Kerryk,

You seem to be conditioning youre fish and not getting anywhere i didn't and mine have spawned................. mad world isnt it . I wasn't looking to breed mine just yet and they went and did it before i was ready with all the bits.

Try seperating them for a while, plus add some plant for your female to hide she needs lots of cover

 

[Kerryk]

It's really strange...I'm not sure....I'm positive that it's a male and female. The female was in her tank all by herself for a whole week or so...so it was "her turf" the I added the male...they still seem interested in eachother and swim around together, not too sure what else to do.

StrontiumDog: I have a big bushy plant thing in there right now, I'm no where near a plant expert but it doesn't seem to grow roots and it's taking off like a bad weed, need to trim it every 4 days

A female honey and a male sunset would spawn wouldn't they???

 

[dothedew]

Doubt it.

Get a bottle of wine and play Barry white.

 

[sylvia]

I'm supposing the two fish you are reffering to are dwarfs? Have you tried lowering the temperature a couple of degrees and then, a day or two later, raising it up a couple? Also try lowering the water level and a large water change... I've never bred dwarfs but it works with pearls.

If that doesn't work, seperate them again. Leave the female in the 15 gallon if you have to but take out the male and stop feeding them as much live food. Then increase the live foods and raise the water temperature. Put them together in the females tank again and see what happens. Again, lowering the water level and a large water change might help. Make sure you have lots of floating plants... Maybe remove the lettuce leaf and get some fake silk plants? Then you wont have to worry about rotting and the fish don't seem to mind either.

If they don't breed after all that... well are you sure you have a male and female? Oh, BTW, what pH is your water? I've found gouramies refuse to breed in quite alkaline water... above 8 or sometimes even 7.5.

 

[Kerryk]

Hi Sylvia

I was just thinking about taking that darned lettuce leaf out, I found one of those fake plants with a suction cup! They are both dwarfs, and the water is at about 10 inches maybe? I dropped the temp the other day and I'm starting to think about taking the male out and "re-introducing" them again.

I dont' have a test for PH handy, I'll add that to the christmas list...along with aquarium sand

No harm no foul...and if all else fails, I can put them back into the community tank and I have an excuse to buy more fish