Honey Gourami - Colouration

[hexy]

Hi all,

I have a couple of honey gouramis and was hoping someone could shed some light on these? I have had them for maybe 4 months now and both were similar in size when I got them from my LFS.

One is now much larger than the other and over the last few days as developed a browish (with hint of yellow) colouration to its underside?? Is this normal... could it be another type of gourami? And why is it much larger and always chasing the other gourami away?

Thanks for the help!

Hexy

 

[Paradise3]

I think that's a male honey gourami. The other must be a female, if so he will be building a bubble nest at the surface of the tank soon because that looks like breeding colouration for male honey gouramis.

Cheers,
Paradise<3!

 

[hexy]

I have read that many LFS sell honey gouramis however it could be that one of them is thick lipped gourami instead? can you see any likeness in the picture?

Incidentally the other honey is now spending more time 'hiding' whereas the last 3 months they have always swam together.... really odd behaviour!!

I wonder if the behaviour has been spurred on because I just sold my large angelfish???

I think that's a male honey gourami. The other must be a female, if so he will be building a bubble nest at the surface of the tank soon because that looks like breeding colouration for male honey gouramis.

Cheers,
Paradise<3!

 

[Paradise3]

I have read that many LFS sell honey gouramis however it could be that one of them is thick lipped gourami instead? can you see any likeness in the picture?

Incidentally the other honey is now spending more time 'hiding' whereas the last 3 months they have always swam together.... really odd behaviour!!

I wonder if the behaviour has been spurred on because I just sold my large angelfish???

I would need a clearer picture to be honest... If you can get a clearer picture then I'll be able to tell you if it's a honey or a thick lipped but all I can tell is that from that picture it looks like a male honey gourami in breeding colouration. I doubt that would have caused this behaviour. My guess would be that if it is a male honey gourami, he's trying to tell her he wants to breed. It 's the gourami's/Paradise fish's way of saying their ready, chase the female till she hides all the time.

Cheers,
Paradise<3!

 

[Carlovel1]

Yeah...that's not a Honey Gourami...it's a Thick Lip Gourami

 

[hexy]

Yeah...that's not a Honey Gourami...it's a Thick Lip Gourami

I have added a few more pictures, and of the 'female' gourami. Would be good to confirm - ideally that they are both the same!! So hard to snap the male - always active and gliding through the tank!!

Female:

Male:

 

[Carlovel1]

Female:



Male:

 

[hexy]

Female:



Male:

Thanks Carlove! So are these both thick lip gourami's?

 

[Carlovel1]

Yes

 

[hexy]

Yes

Perfect! I thought so, is the slightly coloration on the male due to breeding condition? If so, do you have any tips on breeding these? I have a spare 30 litre tank if this would work? Would it just be an empty tank to do so?