How To Prevent Breeding?

[Mosquitochorus]

Being new to tropical fishkeeping, I don't know if this is a silly question or not, but is there any easy way other than the obvious (separating males and females) to prevent fish breeding, that will have no health implications?
I set up and planted my first tank (60 litres) in March and put a pair of Pearl Gouramies in at the beginning of April. They settled in very quickly and two weeks later I introduced four Panda Corydoras.
Shortly after, the female Gourami started swelling and after some research I came to the conclusion she was preparing to lay eggs, so I got some floating plants and the male proceeded to build a bubblenest and courtship began. At some point she must have released the eggs but they never appeared in the bubble nest. Since then the male has harassed her relentlessly and she has become shy. Now she appears to be getting ready to lay again and is more receptive to the male.
In the meantime, the Cories also stated courting and I witnessed the laying of several eggs, one at a time among the plants and a week ago I spotted my first baby panda. The last confirmed count was four youngsters the largest about a centimetre and already resembling it's parents in miniature.
My initial plan was to learn the basics with this tank, knowing I would get the bug and in the future would add more larger tanks and eventually try a marine coral tank. At the moment however, I have neither the space nor the funds to expand to a second tank to either allow the Gouramies to get on with it or to isolate the sexes.
I was under the impression that it would be difficult to breed fish and to be honest the speed everything has got to this stage has taken me totally by surprise.
Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

There is almost no chance you will get viable gourami fry in the setup you describe. Gouramis basically are very similar to betta splendens in their spawning. Normally breeders use shallow tanks which must be well covered. This allows the dad to retrieve fry that fall to the tank bottom and when fry hatch out the air aboe the water needs to be as warm as the water since they come to the surface and breath regularly. The bigger danger is that the male will kill the female as he wants he nowhere near the eggs/fry. Jormally breeders will remove the female from the spawning tanks as soon as the eggs are in the bubble nest.

Your corys are laying a lot more than 4 eggs. You are just getting fry from the few that are not being eaten by them or the other fish in the tank. I would not worry about them at all. besides, if you end up with more pandas than you wnt, they are very easy to sell or give away.

There is not a lot you can do to prevent spawning aside from segregating the sexes. Most fish spawn when they are in conditions that are good for them to live in, so making things less hospitable in these terms is also likely to result in water params that are outside a good range for them to be in.

 

[Colin_T]

you can reduce the feeding and lower the temperature to around 22-24C. This will help to prevent the fish developing eggs and coming into breeding condition.
If you lower the temperature do it slowly. Don't just drop the tank temp by 4 or 5 degrees overnight because it could stress the fish. Just lower it a degree every few days to a week until it has come down.

You should be happy the fish are breeding. It means they are happy

 

[Mosquitochorus]

Thanks for the answers guys. That was pretty much what I expected to hear but I had to ask. My primary concern now is for the female from what you say TwoTankAmin. I will have to keep a close eye on things because what I think are eggs have now appeared in the bubblenest and she has slimmed down again, but so far things have not got aggressive, though she is keeping well away from the male and the nest. Might the best thing to do be remove the gourami eggs now to be on the safe side? Or will that upset the male further?
The temp is 24C now but I will drop it another degree, but I don't really want to go to 22C as I believe this is the lower limit for Pearls (is this right?). I will also watch the feeding, though I keep it tight anyway to keep things clean for the Pandas.
The baby cories are doing well so far, though we don't see too much of them. I think I can cope with the increase in population at the moment though if it carries on there will definately be some 'free to a good home' offers.
I am happy that they are breeding really and I am looking forward to watching the Pandas grow, I was just unprepared for it happening so soon.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[JenCliBee]

at least 1 thing u can take from this even if u not wanting them 2 do it ,is there breeding so u obviously are doing somethink rite and have ur tank nice and sutible for them so congrats on that side and i guess congrats on the babies lol


jen