Honey Gourami Gulping A Lot?

[xamy_valox]

Hi there, been watching my fish since I've come home on and off, and more so whilst I was waiting for their food to defrost, everything was fine.
Now after u have fed them one of my 2 honey gouramis is sticking to the surface of the water and constantly gulping air, at first I didn't know if it was making a bubble nest but I can't see any bubbles.
It is coming down occasionally but then going straight back up to the top for more air.
The other one is fine, and I can't see there being a lack of oxygen in the water.
Any ideas?
Also, if I managed to grab some pics of them would their be anyway of sexing them?
Thanks, Amy xx

 

[AquaJason]

Hi there, been watching my fish since I've come home on and off, and more so whilst I was waiting for their food to defrost, everything was fine.
Now after u have fed them one of my 2 honey gouramis is sticking to the surface of the water and constantly gulping air, at first I didn't know if it was making a bubble nest but I can't see any bubbles.
It is coming down occasionally but then going straight back up to the top for more air.
The other one is fine, and I can't see there being a lack of oxygen in the water.
Any ideas?
Also, if I managed to grab some pics of them would their be anyway of sexing them?
Thanks, Amy xx

Gouramis are part of a family that breathe in oxygen through the air and not the water,so maybe this is the behaviour you are seeing as they must return to the surface of the water for fresh oxygen. Sexing dwarf gouramis are easy in some colour morphs as the sexes differentiate but not sure with the honey species. Most people follow the rule that if it has pointed dorsal fin then it it likley male, if rounded- female.

 

[xamy_valox]

Yeah I realise that they are air breathers, it just seems like s/he is staying up there for longer than usual? Normally they go up, gulp a bit then carry on with their thing but s/he seems to be spending more time up top.
It seems ok now to be honest, maybe it was just out of breath haha!! Im looking at their dorsal fins and one seems to point at the end, and the other is more rounded, does that mean I *may* have a male and a female? If I can get a good pic I'll upload xx

 

[Essjay]

Which colour morph are your honeys? The wild coloured ones are easy to sex, the yellow and red ones are a bit trickier.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Gouramis are part of a family that breathe in oxygen through the air and not the water,

just to clarify, they actually do both. They have a 'labyrinthe' organ which allows them to breathe air. These fish can be found in the wild in very still water with little oxygen, hence they appear to have evolved this ability due to their environment.

 

[xamy_valox]

They are both a very bright red colouring xx

 

[Mowbz]

As Zoddy said, they do both. Try upping the surface movement, and you should find them up here less often, as there will be more waterbourne oxygen.