Oh boy... Gouramis breeding in community tank

[MandyL]

Wow... So my male Thick-Lipped has been working on his bubble nest for several days now... The females didn't seem interested... But I just looked over and saw them "almost" embracing... Is there any chance they can survive in the community tank? What's the best way to go about moving the eggs and/or fry to another tank? May be making an emergency trip to Walmart tomorrow for a tank...

[MandyL]

Okay they've fully embraced twice now... No eggs yet... Is it normal to embrace a few times before releasing eggs? Or possible to embrace even if she doesn't have eggs ready?

[MandyL]

Haha just talking to myself I suppose... Are the eggs smaller than a pin point? If so they are releasing a TON of them every time they embrace... This is amazing to watch!! Gorgeous behavior!! If this doesn't work out I will definitely give them a chance in a smaller tank.

[MandyL]

OK well they are done. About 90 minutes of embracing every 5-10 mins... The male is busy taking care of the nest... I can't see the eggs, they are too tiny, but I did see them floating up. I think I will just leave the eggs and the fry when they hatch... Hopefully a couple are able to hide in the plants but if not, it's an experiment. I will probably set up a breeding tank for them now that I know they are ready and wanting to do it. To be continued... ;)

[sandy_n]

The things that entertain us. Just kidding, lol.:hmm3grin2orange:

[MandyL]

LOL it really is amazing! I spoke too soon, they're at it again. Horny little things (can I say that?)

[sandy_n]

People should be that "lucky". :hmm3grin2orange:

[MandyL]

So this morning I can still see some eggs... The nest has dwindled a bit as it seems the daddy is spending a lot of time chasing the females to the opposite corner rather than caring for the nest. We'll see if I get wigglers tonight and if he gobbles them up!

[MandyL]

OK well it's been over 24 hours and I can still see some eggs... And the goofy fish are spawning again. I really wish I could tell the 2 females apart, maybe this is the other one. She saw all the fun last night and had to get in on the action maybe? I'm at a loss and wish I had a breeder tank set up!

[smoochxoxo]

aww you gonna have babies....gonna name one smooch??? :)
Anyhow congrats! I have read a while back that you are supposed to take the chickys out after they "do it" cuz the male will spend to much time beating them up to keep em away. lol Men!
Hugs
Gl

[jeffandkittie]

Hello Mandyl I was wandering what you meant bye embracing? Cause I have 2 blue dwarfs the kind of touch each other with there antennas and rub against one another . Is that what yours are doing? It would be sweet to breed fish for the first time I hope everything works out with the fri and all good luck

-Jeff-

[MandyL]

When they breed they will do a little dance, turning in circles together and quivering their tails etc. Then they will embrace... It's when the male wraps his body around the female, they are motionless for about 10 seconds just floating there, and he squeezes her body until the eggs come out and he fertilizes them instantly (all this is done under his bubble nest). It really is amazing and beautiful.

I have no fry that I can tell... They were probably eated as soon as they hatched. Oh well, picking up a 10 gallon on Thurs. to breed them in.

[Angila]

please post how the 10 gal works out i found your post interesting how do u tell Gouramis are boy or girl?

[MandyL]

Well I picked up the 10gal used with heater today. I need to get a sponge filter and cycle it. The male is building another massive bubble nest in the community tank so maybe they want to breed again? But it will be a bit until the 10 is ready for them.

It depends on the species of gourami but generally the males are more colourful. With mine, the male is quite a bit larger and brighter colour, as well as once he became mature he's gotten breeding colours which is brown/bronze on the bottom. I'm finally getting my camera back this weekend so I will show pics!

I just lucked out buying 3 juvies and happend to get one male and 2 females, exactly what I wanted.

[Ellen4God]

please post how the 10 gal works out i found your post interesting how do u tell Gouramis are boy or girl?

I asked the same question at the beginning of this year when I was looking into getting my gourami! I did some research and found that the dorsal fin on males are more pointed than he dorsal fin on females. Here's the link to the thread I started about it. I even found pictures to show examples:

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Serephine]

What do the eggs look like? I currently have what I THINK is a bubble nest in my breeding tank (which housed a pair of golden gouramis after I evicted the dwarf gourmais who did not breed). I have a plastic lid floating on the surface and today I saw alot of tiny bubbles on the underside of the lid but not sure if there are eggs somewhere in there. I removed the female gourami anyway because I read that's what I'm supposed to do plus the male was giving her a hard time. But what if I've removed her too early? Maybe the male has just built a nest and is waiting for eggs? Have no clue what the eggs actually look like. Poor fella - he may just be guarding an empty nest!

[MandyL]

Yep he could be guarding an empty nest, and chasing the female whether she is ready to breed or not. The eggs are about the size of this period - . - and white. They are almost impossible to see unless they are floating on the surface where there are not bubbles.