Kumra Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Hi, I have done a lot of research on this but still having problems determining if my fish are male or female. Am I correct that the difference is the dorsal fin? I would add a photo of the but I can't figure out how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Hello & welcome Depends on what type of gourami they are. Here's a thread on posting pictures; viewtopic.php?f=10&t=38081 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 also depends on age, it becomes quite obvious once they hit their teenage years (kinda like humans ) heres a sample for your regular opaline gourami Female Male if our dealing with Dwarf gourami its even easier, males = colourful Females = blander, and a harder to find, normally need to be specialy ordered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Thanks for the replies. I will try post some photos: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Looks like it worked . The one in the top photo has more of a pointed dorsal fin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Top photo is a male, bottom photo female I'm 90% sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Thanks heaps for the help everyone. Any tips to help them breed? They dont seem very interested in making a bubble nest at all. Should I separate them and "condition" them? if so what should I condition them with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 If you want to breed them then I would separate them into their own tank, doesn't have to be big anything around 60ltrs should do. Make sure the water level is not too high somewhere around 15-20cm should be sufficient and get some type of floating plant that they can build the bubblenest around. To condition them I would be feeding them alot of live or frozen food like white worms, bloodworms, brineshrimp and daphnia. Tank temp should be kept at a constant 26c and make sure the tank has a lid to keep the air above the water nice and humid for the babies if you are successful in getting them to breed. Once the female has laid her eggs and the male has placed them all in the bubblenest remove her without disturbing the nest if possible. The male should be left with the nest and fry until they are free swimming and then you can feed them baby brine shrimp and/or microworms. Small and frequent water changes are important once the babies are free swimming, around 15-20pct every day or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Thanks heaps. I already have them in a separate tank with the water at about 20cm with lots of floating plastic plant type things. The water temp is about 27C is that alright? I have most of the tank covered by a glass lid and the rest I was going to put some gladwrap over to keep it humid and warm. They don't appear to want to make a bubble nest or anything and was double checking that they were indeed the male and female (i purchase them from someone along with another 7 juveniles/teens from the parents and was not 100% sure which the parents were amongst them, I assume that they were the slightly bigger ones.) I assume that a sponge filter is the best way to go in a breeding tank? (100L ish) I cant seem to find anywhere to purchase live foods from. I can purchase frozen blood worms etc though if they will do. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Sounds like you are on the right track, just a heads up it is a whole lot easier to raise the fry in a bare bottom tank with no substrate. A sponge filter will be fine and is actually the best type of filtration you can use in a breeding tank. Frozen bloodworms are fine if that is all you can get, I would also get some high quality flake like JBL or Tetramin brands. You can usually find some whiteworm starter cultures on trademe if you look and there is always microworm cultures on there aswell. 27c is fine for them to breed in just don't let the temp drop below 25c. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Thanks, I will go and purchase some tonight. And will look at getting some cultures. I will keep you updated :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Hmmm, I would have said both are female :dunno: Can be hard to tell, depending on the pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 I would lean more towards male on the first one and definately female, it does have a bit of a short fin for a boy though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 I was told that at least 2 of them were and adult male and female. I hope that this is true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Which one makes the bubble nest? As I was pleasantly surprised to find one in the tank when I got home. :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 The male Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Excellent, definitely a male then Thanks heaps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 or the butch one if you have lesbians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 Hi again, Im just wondering if it is normal for the male to be chasing the female around and attacking her like all the time? She has a could of what look like wounds now so I have removed the male from the tank for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/gourami/breeding2.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 Thanks for that. I found such a varying amount of opinions when it came to what to do, that's why I posted here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 I was just looking in my tank and I have a whole lot of tiny little fry in the tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Are you sure they're gourami fry lol? Gourami fry tend to be tiny in my experience and take a few days to start free swimming, did you see the parents do the "deed"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kumra Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Well I assume so as they were the only fish in the tank. I didnt see the deed as such but it has been a few days since the bubble nest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Cool, have you removed the female? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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