Honey Gourami
Encyclopedia
The Honey Gourami is a tropical labyrinth fish of the suborder Anabantoidei
often bred and kept for aquaria
.
The term Colisa sota has been mistakenly used to describe the female of this species, since the honey gourami exhibits sexual dimorphism
.
and Bangladesh
. It inhabits areas of thick vegetation in soft and poorly-mineralised waters. This fish prefers the top and middle levels of the water.
specimens of this fish, typical of many gourami
s, are generally more colourful than their female
counterparts. They exhibit bright orange colouring around the throat region, which at breeding time becomes much brighter and is used to court
the female. Males also exhibit somewhat of an orange tinge in their fins, with the exception of the caudal fin. The male also has longer fins, with a pointed dorsal fin and extended anal fin rays.
, can be rather timid, aggressive tankmates are best avoided. Good tankmates include non-fin nipping tetra
s, non-fin nipping barbs
, corydoras, platy
s and other gouramis. Water temperature should be maintained at around 22 to 28 degrees Celsius. Water chemistry is not critical, however extreme parameters should be avoided.
A colour variant of the honey gourami is the Red Honey Gourami, which is slightly redder in colour. When in breeding conditions, the male becomes even darker red/orange in colour.
, and the occasional safe live foods such as Daphnia
, brine shrimp
, and bloodworm.
builder that uses plants to help bind together the bubbles. The water level should be reduced to 8 in during spawning
, and the temperature should be approximately 28 °C (82 °F) and with a pH
of around 7. After spawning
both adults should be removed. The eggs hatch after 2 days and the fry become free swimming 3 days later (Ter Morshuizen 2007). When they commence with free swimming the fry should be fed infusoria
and brine shrimp, and a week later finely ground flakes. Freeze-dried tablets may also be fed to older fry.
Anabantoidei
The Anabantoidei is a suborder of perciform ray-finned freshwater fish distinguished by their possession of a lung-like labyrinth organ, which enables them to breathe air. The fish in the Anabantoidei suborder are known as anabantoids or labyrinth fish...
often bred and kept for aquaria
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
.
Classification
There is some confusion as to the genus of this species. Some sources cite the genus Colisa whereas other cite Trichogaster. The honey gourami was first described by Hamilton as Colisa chuna, although today the name Trichogaster chuna is preferred.The term Colisa sota has been mistakenly used to describe the female of this species, since the honey gourami exhibits sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
.
Distribution and habitat
The honey gourami is typically found in rivers and lakes in Asia. It originates from IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. It inhabits areas of thick vegetation in soft and poorly-mineralised waters. This fish prefers the top and middle levels of the water.
Appearance and anatomy
Males reach 5 cm (2 in) in length, females are slightly smaller at 4 cm (1.5 in). The males of the honey gourami become deep gold in the breeding period with a dark blue underside. MaleMale
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
specimens of this fish, typical of many gourami
Gourami
Gouramis are a family, Osphronemidae, of freshwater perciform fishes. The fish are native to Asia, from Pakistan and India to the Malay Archipelago and north-easterly towards Korea. The name "gourami" is also used for fish of the families Helostomatidae and Anabantidae. "Gouramis" is an example of...
s, are generally more colourful than their female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
counterparts. They exhibit bright orange colouring around the throat region, which at breeding time becomes much brighter and is used to court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
the female. Males also exhibit somewhat of an orange tinge in their fins, with the exception of the caudal fin. The male also has longer fins, with a pointed dorsal fin and extended anal fin rays.
In the aquarium
The honey gourami is generally considered to be a non-aggressive community fish, ideal for the small household aquaria(10 gallons and up). However like other gouramis, male honey gouramis can be aggressive towards each other. For this reason they are best kept apart, unless the tank is large enough for the males to establish territories. A tank that includes this fish, should be planted and decorated to provide adequate cover. Providing cover is necessary as this species, like the similarly sized dwarf gouramiDwarf gourami
The dwarf gourami, Trichogaster lalius , has an almost translucent blue color, with vertical red to dark orange stripes. In its native range it is dried for food, and it is also kept as an aquarium fish. It has become highly popular for aquaria.Dwarf gouramis from Singapore may carry dwarf gourami...
, can be rather timid, aggressive tankmates are best avoided. Good tankmates include non-fin nipping tetra
Tetra
thumb|right|250px|Pristella tetra — [[Pristella maxillaris]].thumb|right|250px|Golden Pristella tetra, a [[morph |morph]] of [[Pristella maxillaris]].thumb|right|250px|[[Silvertip tetra]] — Hasemania nana....
s, non-fin nipping barbs
Puntius
Puntius is a genus of ray-finned fishes in the family Cyprinidae of the order Cypriniformes. Fishes of this genus are known as the spotted barbs for the predominant pattern, though many have vertical black bands instead. Also, the Spotted Barb proper is one particular species, Puntius binotatus....
, corydoras, platy
Platy
Platy may refer to:* Platy , two related species of fish, both referred to as platies:** Southern platyfish** Variable platyfish* Platy, Imathia, a town in Imathia, Greece* Platy, Lemnos, a village on the island of Lemnos, Greece...
s and other gouramis. Water temperature should be maintained at around 22 to 28 degrees Celsius. Water chemistry is not critical, however extreme parameters should be avoided.
A colour variant of the honey gourami is the Red Honey Gourami, which is slightly redder in colour. When in breeding conditions, the male becomes even darker red/orange in colour.
Feeding
The honey gourami is an omnivore. It is best fed a good variety of flaked foods, freeze-dried foods such as tubifex wormsTubifex tubifex
Tubifex tubifex, also called the sludge worm, or sewage worm, is a species of tubificid segmented worm that inhabits the sediments of lakes and rivers on several continents...
, and the occasional safe live foods such as Daphnia
Daphnia
Daphnia are small, planktonic crustaceans, between 0.2 and 5 mm in length. Daphnia are members of the order Cladocera, and are one of the several small aquatic crustaceans commonly called water fleas because of their saltatory swimming style...
, brine shrimp
Brine shrimp
Artemia is a genus of aquatic crustaceans known as brine shrimp. Artemia, the only genus in the family Artemiidae, has changed little externally since the Triassic period...
, and bloodworm.
Breeding
The honey gourami is a bubble nestBubble nest
Bubblenests, also spelled bubble nests or bubble-nests, created by some fish species, are floating masses of bubbles blown with an oral secretion, saliva bubbles, and occasionally aquatic plants, or an area for egg deposit attached at the bottom. Fish that build and guard bubble nests are known as...
builder that uses plants to help bind together the bubbles. The water level should be reduced to 8 in during spawning
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
, and the temperature should be approximately 28 °C (82 °F) and with a pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
of around 7. After spawning
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
both adults should be removed. The eggs hatch after 2 days and the fry become free swimming 3 days later (Ter Morshuizen 2007). When they commence with free swimming the fry should be fed infusoria
Infusoria
Infusoria is a collective term for minute aquatic creatures like ciliates, euglenoids, protozoa, and unicellular algae that exist in freshwater ponds...
and brine shrimp, and a week later finely ground flakes. Freeze-dried tablets may also be fed to older fry.