Gurami pearl: reproduction and maintenance of fish

The fish is a pearl gourami from the Indochina peninsula. It also lives in small overgrown waters of Indonesia and the islands of Thailand.

Description of the species

In conditions of captivity, the length of the fish does not exceed 12 centimeters. Its color is very interesting. Gourami has a silvery body color with a purple hue. On its sides is a large number of correctly located spots and specks of white, resembling scattered pearls. In appearance, the fish looks very impressive. The tail, dorsal and gill fins located on its body have the same pearl coloration with shine.

During spawning by gourami, the pearl becomes even more elegant. The fish has an intense purple coloring, which makes the points of "pearls" get a bright shine. In males, the chest, the lower region of the gill covers, and the anal fin are bright orange before the caudal tail.

The difference between a female and a male is, like that of other species, gourami, in that the female is shorter than the dorsal fin and the more round form of its tip. The male has a sharp dorsal fin, extending to the tail fin itself. It differs from the female and a brighter color.

Gurami pearl - very shy fish. Unlike blue and spotted species, it is sensitive to water pollution and changes in the temperature of the habitat. Gurami are peaceful and perfectly get along with other species of aquarium inhabitants. After a plentiful reception of food, the fish stand or swim in the upper layers of the water, while they hardly rise above atmospheric air. Gurami do not like bright light in an aquarium and therefore try to hide in thickets. Floating fish food is taken from the bottom or surface of the water.

Pearl Gourami: Content

Fish can be kept in small containers, densely planted with plants. The water in the aquarium should be clean and have a temperature of about +23 degrees, and the fish house itself should be lighted up a little. The optimum depth of the aquarium for keeping with gouramis is 35 cm. Aeration of water is not mandatory. As feed gourami prefers bloodworms and dry, and better - live daphnia.

Reproduction by gourami

Like other labyrinth fish, gurus can spawn at temperatures not lower than +20 degrees. For calm spawning, the aquarium must be moved to a secluded place, near which people will not walk, you can also close it from the outside. During the breeding season in the aquarium, you should put a couple of thick bushes in which the female could hide from the male during the spawning.

Usually the male prepares the nest on the surface of the water, consisting of air bubbles, but it happens that the gurami pearl is spawning and without a nest. Then the eggs of the caviar spread out across the surface of the water, which gives a smaller number of fry. For one spawning litter is from 60 to 210 eggs.

It is easiest to get offspring from a newly matured young couple. With normal development, the fish becomes adult after eight months, sometimes development is delayed up to 14 months. From individuals of older age, it will not be possible to obtain offspring. Gourami, which began to lay eggs before the age of one, are able to produce 4-5 litters with 10-day intervals, then they stop multiplying.

Caking of eggs takes place two days after spawning. At this time they are still weak and small, with a yolk bubble, which helps them live up to three days. Then the fry can start feeding infusoria, and after five days - give them sifted through a frequent net of live dust. If such a food is not available, the fry is fed with curdled milk, which is washed in pure water from whey. Feed them every three hours, increasing portions as fish grow.