Age?

[Gimli]

How old do three spot gouramiussually grow to.

 

[Dwarfs]

I would assume at least 5 years, more with very good care, less with bad care

 

[Somethings Fishy Here]

This is totally out of the ordinary but I had a gourami that lived over 11 years! and on top of that lived through over two generations of oscars of all fish! I also know someone who has one going on year 9 so they can, though rare live for quite sometime (both of the mentioned gouramis were blue gouramis)

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Crikey! Hope mine live as long. Although I suspect my BB (Big boy) will die earlier due to sheer exhaustion from the amount of spawning he does. That and the work he puts into his bubblenests is phenomenal.
Out of curiosity were the two you mentioned, S.F.H, male or female? And were they breeding? I just wonder if the factors involved made a big difference. I mean, mine aren't forced to do so, they just do so anyway. Stress is at a minimum and they are only handled by myself, whom they trust a great deal. Even their babes are curious and not at all skittish.
Hugs,
P.

 

[Somethings Fishy Here]

No, neither of them ever mated... and I'm pretty sure both were male. The 11 year old didnt spend much time with others for the first half of his life since he was the only gourami in with the oscars and I didnt want to risk putting a new gourami in with the oscars with the fear of giving the oscars the impression that gouramis were now feeder fish The last few years of that ones life were spent with my friend's gourami thats pushing 9 years now and they never mate but again I believe those two were male AND believe that in my friends tank there were a couple females so I guess the conditions just werent right for it.

 

[sylvia]

I have a male opaline right now who is approuching 7 and have had several others in the past that now live with friends and are probably round about the same age. This opaline did spawn in the past frequently. The average lifespan of most larger gouramies is 7 years. The smaller ones live for 2-5 and the very large ones like the osphronemus species are known to have lived for over 25 years with over 15 years being quite common. The oldest gourami I have owned was a female pearl who died aged 13 (though I got her when she was 7 from a friend who bred her).

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Ah that's excellent news. I do hope mine all have good long lives too. I have no intention of moving or parting with them. Except the fry. And will try and keep some of them too. I like the idea of having many generations over the years for the rest of my life. It's just a pity my other favourite fishyfriends aren't spawning even if their lifespans are longer. *sigh*
Hugs,
P.