How to Tell Male and Female Kissing Gouramis Apart? A Few Methods to Identify Them
The kissing gourami is a tropical fish, also known as the kissing perch, kissing fish, Kiss fish, and so on. Its place of origin is the islands of Java and Borneo in Southeast Asia. Local residents are very fond of the kissing gourami and often keep them in fish tanks to watch their "kissing" performances. Later, the kissing gourami became a world-famous ornamental fish. Now let us take a look at how to tell male and female kissing gouramis apart!
How to Tell Male and Female Kissing Gouramis Apart?
Male and female kissing gouramis are not easy to distinguish. In juveniles, male and female are almost impossible to identify. In adults, the male's anal fin is generally wide and long, and the body appears somewhat slender, while the female's anal fin is narrow, the body is broad and thick, and the abdomen is slightly bulging. After the female reaches sexual maturity, the abdomen swells because it is full of eggs, which is very obvious when viewed from the top of the fish tank downward.
Living Habits of the Kissing Gourami
1. The kissing gourami likes to inhabit tropical rivers and is often used as a food fish in its place of origin. It is not strict about water quality, its gregariousness is not very obvious, and it swims very slowly, appearing dignified and elegant, with charming appeal and ornamental value. Normally its temperament is extremely gentle and lively, so it is not suitable for mixed keeping with quiet tropical fish. It likes to swim at all levels of the water, but when resting it often stops at the bottom of the fish tank.
2. The kissing gourami is omnivorous and not picky at all. Superworms, chopped earthworms, and artificial feed are all acceptable. It eats whatever its owner feeds it. Not only does it grow quickly, but its resistance is also good, and it rarely gets sick. It breeds prolifically with many offspring. Under artificial keeping conditions, it has no fixed breeding season, and breeding is relatively simple. It is best to keep them in pairs and feed them heavily to aid breeding.
Breeding Methods of the Kissing Gourami
1. The kissing gourami is oviparous and fertilizes externally. Generally, broodstock with a body length of more than 20 cm should be used. For breeding, use a larger aquarium of more than 80×40×40 cm, with 5 to 7 days of aged water, a water temperature between 25 and 27°C, a pH of 6.8 to 7.4, and a hardness of 9 to 11. Place a layer of floating aquatic plants on the water surface in the tank. The male keeps swimming around the female. When the proper position is reached, it wraps around the female's body in a "U" shape and squeezes and embraces her. After the female lays eggs, the male immediately releases sperm. The female can lay 500 to 10,000 eggs each time, with an average of 3,000.
2. The eggs of the kissing gourami are floating eggs, drifting on the upper layer of the water like oil. The floating aquatic plants can protect them from being accidentally swallowed by the parent fish. After spawning is complete, the parent fish can be taken out, and the eggs can be artificially incubated. Larvae hatch in 20 to 24 hours. After 2 to 3 days, when the larvae can swim, they must be fed plenty of infusoria, otherwise they will starve to death. After another 2 to 3 days, feed them small red worms for 3 to 4 days, then they can be fed larger worms. At 15 to 20 days, the rapidly growing larvae should be divided into two or three tanks for keeping to ensure a higher survival rate. Sometimes more than 9,000 fry from one brood can survive. They reach sexual maturity in about one year, and their lifespan can reach 6 to 7 years.