Q&A for How to Breed Gouramis

Within a day or two you can have eggs if they are mature enough. After 24 to 48 hours eggs will hatch.

You will notice the eggs either on the floor of the tank, in the substrate, or on plants and in bubble nests.

Normally the male creates the nest, not the female. Your fish might be a male who has overeaten. Limit your fish's food for few days, but don't remove the bubble nest. If the fish is female, let her be. After she lays eggs, remove her.

It depends on the species, in dwarf and honey gourami species, the males tend to be larger and more colorful than the females. Males also tend to be more territorial and aggressive than their female counterparts (this is a natural instinct to ensure that the males will be good protectors). In a pet shop, the easiest way to figure it out is to look at the dorsal and anal fins (the top and the bottom fin farthest to the back of the fish). In males these are generally pointed and are rounder in females. If you're still unsure, research the particular species you want to breed and talk to experts at your local fish store.

Yes, even gouramis raised together will breed. They'll start spawning once you introduce them to a separate breeding tank.

You will probably notice the change in the size of her stomach and she'll be sort of weak.

The male will be about 4cm long and female about 6cm long -- in other words, they'll be adults.

Fry will take quite a long time to grow, but they can be placed in a community tank with smaller fish after they are about 4 weeks old.

Yes, but you might need to break it up into smaller pieces for the fry.

If it is laying on the bottom she may not be able to have the babies. Believe it or not I have performed a "C" section on two different fish before. If you decide this is the problem, catch her in a net, put her in a bowl with tank water, take a sharp razor and make a small cut where the babies come out. Good luck, it worked for me.

The male betta will bring the eggs to the bubble nest and take care of the eggs. After three days, the eggs will hatch. The male will bring the fallen babies to the bubble nest.

Yes, she will. It can be a little challenging, but you can have a hybrid gourami.

The male gourami has a pointed upper fin while the female has a rounded tip.

It is not recommended, as the fry may be eaten.

No, it is not normal.

Yes, brine shrimp is usually a good starter option for most fry. However, brine shrimp are too small for some bigger species. Know your type and their specific requirements.

You have a type of gourami called kissing gourami. This is completely normal behavior.

Any small organisms, including rotifers, tubifex worms, blood worms and brine shrimp. Crushed flakes and hard-boiled egg yolk serve as substitutes.

Yes, though it's often a lot harder breeding hybrids.

Generally, it takes 24-48 hours for the female to lay eggs after the bubble nest has been created or after her stomach/abdomen has swelled.

Give the pair time to breed and then they may start having building the bubble nest and maybe having fry. If not, they may not be a suitable pair for each other.

Yes! A few might pick at angel fish fins but this is great community setup otherwise. I would recommend getting some snails for algae too, like nerite snails. Gouramis are peaceful and can live as a centerpiece with most fish in community aquariums.

When the fry are free-swimming. Start off with small infusoria and a lettuce leaf in some tank water for a few days, then move on as they grow. As they get bigger, increase the amount and size of the food -- brine shrimp are a good option.

Immature fry may have difficulty in swimming. If it's juvenile, it will swim in circles.

When the eggs are laid, they are usually transparent. But as the egg matures, they turn a little translucent/white and tiny 2 black dots are visible, which later on become their eyes.

Gouramis can lay eggs twice a month. That is they can lay eggs after every 14-15 days.

If the fry are fed well with brine shrimp and other fry food, they will grow very fast and can be added with other gourami after 6 months. But they are only ready to breed after they are 1 year old.

Throw away the infected eggs and move the other non-infected eggs into another tank.

The males get aggressive when they are not in a tank of 15 or more gallons, and they need plenty of hiding spots too, such as caves and decor. Plants will do too, but they really seem to prefer caves.