Identifying a Breeding Pair
Identify your gourami species (recommended). The term gourami refers to an entire family of fish, including over 90 species. While many of the gourami species and varieties popular among aquarium hobbyists can be bred in the same conditions, this does not apply to every species. Ask an experienced fish breeder or biologist to examine your gouramis if you do not remember the name they were sold under. This guide is accurate for dwarf gouramis, pearl gouramis, kissing gouramis, blue (three spot) gouramis, and honey gouramis. Note that kissing gouramis may be more difficult to breed than the others, and require a larger tank. True gouramis and chocolate gouramis are especially difficult to care for and breed, and the process is not covered in this article. The chocolate gourami, and some other species, care for the eggs in a parent's mouth. If your gouramis do not belong to the species listed above, or if you are not certain of the species, you may still use this guide, but you may have a lower success rate or encounter unexpected difficulties.
Feed the gouramis live or frozen food. Animal food such as blood worms, mosquito larvae, and adult brine shrimp provide adult fish with the nutrients necessary for breeding. You can purchase this in live or frozen form from an aquarium store. Supplement the dry food diet with this food several times a week. Gathering this type of food on your own increases the risk of passing on diseases to your fish, and is not recommended without the advice of a local expert.
Watch the fish change size and color. Adult, female gouramis may swell or change color on their underside, as they produce eggs within their bodies. Male gouramis may become more brightly colored if their diet improves, an indicator of good health and suitability for breeding. Try to find one male and one female that display these characteristics, and have no visible defects. It may be easier to notice the change in size looking down from above.
Identify the sex of the adult fish. If the females have noticeably changed shape as they laid eggs, or became "gravid," you may already know which gouramis are female and which are male. Some are relatively easy to identify at any point due to coloration differences. If these methods of identification are not sufficient, try the following methods: In some gourami species, females have a more rounded dorsal and anal fin (along the spine and near the anus), while the males have a more pointed one. Kissing gourami are difficult to identify by appearance. However, if two of the gourami are "kissing," they likely belong to the same sex, and are fighting for dominance. If all your fish seem "swollen," try withholding their food for three or four days. Overweight males may slim down during this time, while egg bearing females probably will not.
Setting up a Breeding Tank
Select a tank of the appropriate size. For most gourami pairs, select a tank that can hold 10–20 gallons (40–80 liters) of water up to a six inches (15 cm) water level. This relatively small size and shallow water level actually encourages breeding and fry health, but it is not suitable for all species. Here are a few notable exceptions: Kissing gourami will only spawn in a large tank, at least 24 inches (60 cm) deep and at least 36 inches (91 cm) long. Pearl gourami can be bred in a tank with this water depth, but the tank should be at least 31 inches (80 cm) long. Blue, or three-spot, gourami can be bred in this tank size, but a somewhat larger tank will work as well. A larger tank may minimize stress and injury to the female. Species that grow more than 10 inches (25 cm) long, including the true gourami and giant gourami, may require much larger tanks. Consult an expert before attempting to breed these species, with the exception of the kissing gourami described above.
Add gravel and anchored plants. Start by adding a thin layer of gravel at the bottom. Use this to anchor several plants, large enough for the female to hide behind if the male becomes aggressive. Leave some open area as well. Upturned clay pots and other common aquarium additions can also be added to create hiding spots. If putting rocks in the tank, be sure these are bought from an aquarium store, as rocks gathered in lakes and rivers may alter the pH of the water.
Add floating plants or objects. Some species, such as the pearl gourami, create a "bubble nest" for the eggs on the underside of a floating plant. You may use actual floating plants, or cut a Styrofoam cup in half lengthwise and float it on the surface of the water. For species that do not build bubble nests, such as kissing gourami, you may wish to float a piece of lettuce instead, which will provide nutrients for the newly hatched fry. Do not cover more than 1/3 of the water surface, as gouramis need to take oxygen directly from the air as well as the water.
Put a cover on the aquarium. Protect the air above the water level from cold drafts by attaching a lid to the aquarium. Make sure there is air between the lid and the water level, and that the lid contains holes to allow the passage of some air. While this is not necessary for adult gourami, young fry are highly susceptible to air temperature changes, and could die if the air becomes too cold.
Use a sponge filter. Never use a filter or air stone that creates a current in a breeding tank, as the current can destroy eggs and young fry. Adults may not be willing to lay eggs unless the water is completely still.
Adjust the temperature, pH, and nitrites if necessary. Use an aquarium test kit to monitor these attributes of the tank water for several days, before any fish are introduced. Prepare the tank with a "fishless cycle" to keep toxic nitrites and nitrates out of the water. Heat the tank to around 77–82ºF (25–28ºC), and adjust the pH to between 6.6 and 7.5. Lower pH by adding soft water, such as reverse osmosis water, and raise it by adding crushed limestone, coral, or other carbonate materials. Warning: Do not transfer fish between tanks with different temperatures. Instead, gradually increase the temperature of the tank after the breeding fish have been introduced. The temperature and pH ranges given here are a narrow band suitable for all the common gourami species mentioned at the beginning of this guide. If you have identified your gourami species, you may be able to search online for a broader range of acceptable conditions for that species.
Breeding the Adult Gourami
Introduce the female to the breeding tank first. Move the female gourami you have selected to breed into the breeding tank first. This gives the female fish time to locate hiding spots and acclimatize to the tank.
Introduce the male. After at least an hour, or up to a full day, introduce the male to the tank. Watch the behavior of the two fish, making sure the female has enough hiding places to remain alone for part of the day. The male may cause minor bruising or scrapes on the female while chasing her. If the female sustains more serious injuries, or is being harassed around the clock, consider adding a second female to divide the male's attention.
Wait for the fish to mate. It may be several days before the gourami pair mates. While the exact nature of the mating ritual, amplexus, and/or spawning varies by species, it typically takes several hours. Look for the following signs if you are trying to catch the fish in the act: In many gourami species, the male will create a nest of bubbles before mating occurs. This nest may be in a corner of a tank, or on the underside of a floating object. The two fish may "dance" around each other, eventually touching and wriggling against each other. In some species, they will latch together and one will roll onto its back. As the female lays eggs (usually hundreds or thousands), the male may pick these up in his mouth and move them to the bubble nest. In species that do not construct bubble nests, the eggs are typically strewn around into the water.
Know when to remove the parents. The adult female gourami should be moved back to the original tank directly after spawning, or she may eat the eggs. If the male constructed a "bubble nest," he will likely continue to care for the young until the fry become free-swimming, after which he should be removed as well. For species that do not construct a nest, such as kissing gourami, remove the parents immediately after spawning. The male may not eat much or at all while he is caring for the eggs. Pay attention to his eating habits and reduce the amount of food if necessary to avoid making the water dirty.
Caring for the Fry
Let the fry eat the egg yolk after hatching. Fry typically hatch within 30 hours of spawning, often within the first 24 hours for some species. If they were laid in bubble nests, the fry usually stay attached to their place of hatching for two or three days, as they consume the yolk of their egg sac. After eating the yolk from their own eggs, the fry will become free swimming, moving around the tank, and will need to be fed according to the instructions below.
Feed the fry specialized food. The newly hatched fry are too small to eat most types of food. Suitable foods, which may be available at an aquarium store, include liquid fish food, rotifers, infusoria, or hard boiled egg yolk pushed through cheesecloth. Try to feed them as often as you can manage, six times a day or more. Infusoria can be grown at home by keeping a small piece of lettuce or potato in a jar of water in a sunny area. After a few days, the water should turn cloudy, then clear, and can then be fed to the fry in small amounts.
Use baby brine shrimp once the fry are larger. Dwarf gourami, honey gourami, and other species whose adults are less than 5 inches (13 cm) in length produce fry that are too small to eat larger food for seven or eight days after hatching. Larger species may be able to eat baby brine shrimp after about four days. Once the fry have reached this stage, feed them baby brine shrimp to give them the protein needed for growth.
Keep the water clean. Continue to conduct partial water changes as you would in a normal tank, and siphon off material collecting on the bottom of the tank. Because the fry are easily sucked into the siphon, give the bucket of removed water some time to settle so you can find and transfer any fry back into the tank.
Make a plan for your fry before they grow too large. Gourami typically produce hundreds or thousands of eggs, and while it's unlikely that all of them will survive, you will often end up with more fry than can fit in your tank. Find someone who will buy your fry, decide how many you will keep, and consider euthanizing fish with obvious physical defects.
Move the gourami to a larger tank after a few weeks. Remaining fry can be fed on an ordinary diet once they have reached several weeks of age, although a diet that includes a variety of animal and vegetable proteins is better for growth than fish flakes alone.
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