Gouramis

About

What are Gouramis? Gouramis are an interesting group of fish from the Osphronemidae family which can directly breathe air above water. This is due to their unique labyrinth organ which acts like a lung. This is because in their wild habitats, they often live in oxygen poor, stagnant water from South East Asia, to China and up north to Japan. Similar to Bettas Fish, some Gouramis are mouth brooders and males make bubble nests for their eggs as an incubation technique. Identifying gender is quite easy; males are usually larger in size and have colourful bodies and fins to attract female mates. How to Set Up an Aquarium for Gouramis Gouramis are quite adaptable fish that are hardy in nature. Small varieties such as Sparkling, Licorice and Platinum Gouramis do well in smaller, 20 litre tanks while pearl, Opaline and Moonlight Gouramis require at least 60 litre tanks. Although they come from soft acidic water environments like rivers and marshes, they can tolerate pH ranges between 6.5-7.8 and water temperatures of 22-28 degrees celsius. Thus, a heater is recommended during winters and can be turned off during Summer. An aquarium filter is highly recommended to remove waste and 10-20% water changes are recommended every 1-2 weeks. If there is substrate in your aquarium, a gravel siphon is advisable to suck up fish waste and dirt particles. Best Foods for Gouramis Gouramis are not picky eaters and will eat fish flakes, dried foods, live foods (helps to induce spawning), natural foods, shrimp food, protein pellets, etc. A well balanced diet rotating these foods will produce the best health and colours. While most Gouramis are omnivores, Kissing Gouramis are herbivores so feeding them more algae wafers and spirulina powder will be best. To prevent overfeeding, only feed what your fish can eat within 2 minutes, and feed 1-2 times daily. Gouramis Breeding Tips for Beginners Gouramis can breed in captivity, but some work and effort are required to provide the right conditions,