Neptun
Blue gourami appeared in our aquarists relatively recently, it happened around 1958. Since then, this fish occupies a strong position in the collections of amateurs. Popularity of the fish contributes to its relatively peaceful disposition.
It can safely be kept in a tropical aquarium, along with its other inhabitants without fear for their health. Popularity of this fish contributes to the simplicity, as well as unpretentiousness in keeping. It can safely be recommended to young, beginners and inexperienced amateurs – aquarists. And for his playful behavior can be interesting to watch for hours as children and adults.
| kingdom | Animals |
| type | Chordates |
| class | Bony fish |
| division | Perch |
| Suborder | Labyrinthine |
| Family | Macropods |
| genus | Threadneedles |
| species | Trichogaster trichopterus sumatranus |
Synonyms: Sumatran Nitenosaurus.
Latin: Trichogaster trichopterus sumatranus
Habitat.: The habitat is restricted to water bodies of Sumatra Island (Southeast Asia).
Blue gourami Description
The blue gourami is very similar to the spotted threadfin gourami. It’s easy to confuse the two. But nevertheless, they are different species. They differ in coloration, although not significantly, and behavior, especially the attitude to the female during spawning.
It has oblong body flattened from sides. The body is somewhat more elongated in length than in other representatives of the genus. In the wild reaches fifteen centimeters. In aquarium keeping, its length rarely exceeds ten centimeters. On the head are large eyes (Well, where else should they be as not on the head?! – based on articles from the Internet 🙂 ). The head smoothly passes into the torso. The torso has the color of the sea wave, or more simply – greenish-blue. Better this color is distinguishable in the reflected light. Sometimes may have a violet tint. On the sides has two dark spots one under the dorsal fin, the second at the base of the tail fin. On the body are distinguishable transverse bluish stripes, more pronounced near the upper part of the body.
Unpaired fins are studded with light-colored spots resembling pearls. Dorsal fin short, anal fin starting almost at the very pelvic extends to the caudal fin gradually widening behind. Caudal fin short fork-shaped. Abdominal, as well as in other Nitenosceae modified, is a tactile organ – whiskers. Touch is an interesting feature for a fish. Pectoral fins are short almost transparent. Prefers clean bodies of water, densely overgrown with plants with clear water. Very heat-loving. Blue gourami can feed on any type of food. Sexual maturity reaches about one year. Under good conditions, life expectancy is about seven years.
Blue gourami Sex differences
The sexes are differentiated, just as in other filamentous species. The female has a more rounded abdomen, her dorsal fin is shorter and rounded, while the male has a longer fin and a pointed end.
Blue gourami aquarium maintenance
In the maintenance are not difficult. Very unpretentious. Not demanding to feed. The only thing they need is a stable relatively high temperature. Fish may well be recommended for keeping novice amateurs.
Aquarium volume
The vessel is desirable volume of at least 50 liters. As for all labyrinth aquarium should be equipped with a lid or at least covered with glass. This will prevent the ingress of cold room air, swallowed which fish can get sick. The lid should not be tightly closed. Atmospheric fresh air fish need. It should only prevent too rapid air exchange.
Soil
Any soil. But since dense thickets are needed, it is desirable that the substrate is suitable for them. The standard variant is coarse river sand with a medium degree of siltation.
Blue gourami and Plants
Plants, in general, any heat-loving, capable of creating dense thickets will do. It is quite possible to use peristolistnik, vallisneria, elodea. For the spawning period it is desirable to add a bunch of richchia or cassava.
Water parameters
Blue gourami fish is heat-loving, poorly tolerates a decrease in temperature below the optimum values, which are in the range of 22-28°C. Therefore, the pond for the threadfin gourami must be equipped with a heater with a thermostat. For inter spawning maintenance, the water temperature should be 22 -24°C. Have a hardness of 8 to 10°dH. The acidity should be close to neutral.
Lighting
The overhead lighting is bright. It is desirable to provide it with fluorescent lamps.
Aeration
The need for aeration is determined, as a rule, by the needs of other fish kept together with nitlenose. Also, if the cover covering the pond is too dense, the compressor will inject under it the air that has passed through the water column. Thus, under the cover will accumulate moistened, slightly warmed air. That is also favorable for nitenosci. Only the air flow from the compressor should not be too large. Air bubbles should be small. Aeration should be low-flow.
Filtration
The blue gourami likes clear water. Filtration is needed to remove suspended particles from the aquatic environment.
Blue gourami Compatibility
Nitenos are generally very peaceful fish. Trichogaster trichopterus sumatranus is no exception. It can be kept with almost any other peaceful species with similar conditions of content, and which will not break off his whiskers. Sometimes shows aggressiveness towards members of its own species. Especially it is necessary to take measures to preserve the life of the female during spawning.
Nutrition
Trichogaster trichopterus sumatranus is not picky when choosing food. It is possible to feed practically any kinds of live non-large feeds. Small moths, cut tubeworm. In the inter spawning period you can give small crustaceans. Will not refuse as well from plant food, as which he can give him shredded, scalded with boiling water, lettuce leaves, cabbage. You can give dry fodder. He will also protect his home from parasites such as hydra. With snails in most cases, too, you can say goodbye.
Blue gourami Breeding
For breeding requires an aquarium volume of 50 – 100 liters. As the female for one spawning can throw out up to 2000 eggs. For such a large number of fry is more convenient to care for, if the vessel has a large size. Two-thirds of the aquarium should be very densely planted with plants. And at the bottom it is desirable to arrange several shelters. For the construction of which can be used shards of not used pottery pots.
These preparations are necessary because of the behavior of this species. The blue gourami does not invite the mate to the nest with gentle courtship, as for example macropod or pearl nitenosek, he drives her there with kicks. These “invitations” can be so strong and impatient that by the end of the spawning female can be so exhausted, beaten and battered that she may die. Therefore, equip the spawning area with as many shelters as possible that the female can use to escape the aggression of the male.
The water level should be about twenty centimeters. Its temperature should be increased to 26 – 28 degrees Celsius. The hardness should be about 8°dH. pH 7.
Nest building takes about a day. Floating plants such as riccia and cassava are built into the nest foam. When the nest is ready, spawning begins. Which lasts a few hours. After spawning will be completed, the female should be removed from the spawning ground. Do it carefully, away from the nest. It is better to do it this way. In the far corner of the nest, the bag of a large net is placed. Then a glass rod is used to carefully drive the female into the net. She is then transferred to another vessel.
Fry
From that moment on, all the care of the offspring falls on the father, who faithfully fulfills his duties. Incubation lasts about a day. And after another two to three days, the fry will swim. This moment should not be missed. It is necessary to immediately remove the father, as his paternal instinct will now fade, and he can ruin the nest and eat the offspring. The water level should be lowered to 10 centimeters. If possible, a low-flow aeration should be established.
Starter food for fry – fine live dust, infusoria about a week later they can be transferred to larger feed. Labyrinth apparatus in young fish is formed on about 14 days of life. After that, you can gradually increase the water level and reduce the temperature. As the fry grow, they should be sorted by size and transferred to larger feeds.
Blue gourami is another representative of the labyrinth fish, with which we are very briefly acquainted today. Despite the small volume of the article, it contains all the information you need so that your further acquaintance with this wonderful fish was pleasant for you and did not bring disappointment. I hope you liked your new acquaintance and the article about him. If so, you can share the link to the article with your friends through your social networks.
