Aquarium fish gourami pearl: description, content, compatibility, breeding

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The pearl gourami breed of aquarium fish has been known to the world since 1933. Russian citizens got to know the flirtatious creature in the 1950s. Low-maintenance, graceful and beautiful, pearls soon became the favorite of almost every aquarium owner. And not by chance: a luminous miracle will decorate any home oceanarium.

Features of the breed

The reservoirs of Borneo and Sumatra are considered to be the birthplace of pearl gourami. Lagoons with dense thickets were an excellent habitat for fish and their reliable refuge. In them, gourami hid during the seasons of catching by poachers for the purpose of profit. Since the peculiarity of these labyrinth fish is their ability to breathe air for some time, they could sit out in coastal thickets.

Frequent trapping and death of aquatic inhabitants due to natural disasters have led to the fact that today pearl gourami is an aquarium fish. There are entire farms for growing the breed. The fish themselves are listed in the Red Book.

What a pearl looks like

The fish, like its other relatives, has an elongated oval andpressed on the sides by the structure of the body. The fins of the thoracic region are round and transparent. On the abdomen of the gourami there are long thread-like processes - the organs of touch. The tail fin is wide and bushy.

The color of the pearl is varied. The main tone varies from terracotta to lilac. A feature of the mother-of-pearl gourami is a dark stripe stretching along the body from mouth to tail.

Adult individuals reach about a dozen centimeters. Fish live for quite a long time - about eight years.

How to tell a female from a male

Similar at first glance, the fish still have gender differences.

Firstly, the male pearl gourami is much larger than the lady. The fins in the back and tail are elongated and have pointed tips. The color of the female is somewhat muted and ranges from pale pink to orange. Pisces boys are bright red.

During the spawning season, males attract a mate with glowing pearl dots all over their bodies.

What to supply the aquarium with

The home habitat of mother-of-pearl fish is a spacious vessel with a capacity of at least 50-60 liters. The aquarium must have a lid, because gourami are quite frisky and jumpy. In addition, a loose cover protects the housing from cold air.

As the soil, you can use coarse river sand, poured in layers. Thick and voluminous algae will create an atmosphere of comfort and safety for the fish. Perfect fitelodea and pinistolium. However, vegetation should not clutter up the swimming area.

The temperature regime must be at least 24 degrees. To maintain a comfortable environment, it is advisable to install a water heater in the aquarium.

The lighting of the vessel should be bright and practically around the clock.

Gourami neighbors

Aquarium pearls have a calm, balanced and delicate character. Therefore, when creating a common home pond, you should carefully select neighbors who are similar in nature.

Perfect compatibility of pearl gourami is manifested with the following breeds of aquatic relatives:

1. Neon fish.
2. Ornatus.
3. Girinocheilus fish.
4. Fish fees.
5. Mollies.
6. Minorami.
7. Rhodostomus fish.

Conflicts possible with:

1. Roosters.
2. Shrimp.
3. Barbs.
4. Swordsmen.

Aquarium fish care rules

The maintenance of pearl gourami is quite simple. The fish are omnivores, but since the mouths of the creatures are small, the food must be carefully crushed.

In natural conditions, the diet of fish consists of small midges, larvae and zooplankton. At home, both frozen and dry food are suitable. You can feed pets with bloodworms, small crustaceans, coretra. If necessary, the gourami can endure a week-long hunger strike.

Clean the aquariumneed at least 1 time in two weeks. To prevent the occurrence of abnormal microflora in the tank at the first start, you can treat the future home of the fish with special preparations that ensure the rapid settlement of beneficial bacteria. Such funds can be bought at specialized pet stores.

The smaller the aquarium, the more often it will have to be cleaned. Miniature vessels of 10-15 liters are processed approximately once a week.

In the process of cleaning the home, all the decorations are bleached, non-natural plants are washed, and the walls are freed from plaque.

If the aquarium filter cannot cope with the number of its inhabitants, it is recommended to replace it or strengthen the filtration system with an additional cleaning device.

The frequency of cleaning the aquarium also depends on the number of inhabitants. The more fish inhabit the dwelling, the more often it has to be washed.

To clean huge vessels (with a volume of at least 100 liters), various devices are often used: magnetic sponges to remove plaque from the walls, hoses with a bulb at the end to clean the bottom, special filters, etc.

If a large aquarium has to be washed too often (more than once a month), this may indicate improper maintenance. Causes of pollution will help identify specialist consultants. It should be remembered: he althy microflora - he althy inhabitants.

Gourami Breeding

Special attention should be paid to mating fish at home.

At first glance, the cultivation of pearl gourami is similar to the similar process of othersbreeds. However, there are a few things to consider.

Firstly, during spawning, it is recommended to move a pair of gourami to another, somewhat smaller aquarium, away from neighbors. Otherwise, breeding may end up eating fry by other fish species.

The temperature regime of the environment should not exceed 28 degrees. Otherwise, spawning may occur prematurely, and the offspring may die.

It is recommended to plan the breeding of fish of this breed in late spring and early summer. Such conditions are dictated by the possibility of complementary foods.

At least three female pearl gourami and one male should be placed in the aquarium. But a week before spawning, ladies need to be isolated from gentlemen. During the pre-spawning period, it is recommended to feed the fish with live food. The bottom of the "maternity hospital" should be sandy with the inclusion of secluded shelters made of stones or artificial decorations. Live plants are also needed.

In this breed, the nest is built by the male. To do this, place several bunches of a special floating plant - Riccia in the aquarium. In order not to frighten future parents, glasses must be hung with paper.

After the male builds a cozy nest, the gentleman courtship invites the lady to spawn. After long efforts, the female begins to spawn eggs, which the future father lays in the cells of the created dwelling. During spawning, the male is recommended to isolate the lady in a separate container.

After some time, larvae hatch from the eggs, and after 2-3fry grow out of them. After this, the male, who took care of the offspring all the time, must be resettled. Otherwise, the fry can excite dad to such an extent that he will eat them.

Diseases of pearl gourami

No matter how ideal the content of pearl gourami is, they, like all living creatures, get sick from time to time.

The causes of fish diseases can be improper conditions, a polluted aquarium or sick neighbors.

The most common diseases of mother-of-pearl gourami are:

• Microscopic candida (mushrooms).
• Pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
• Worms, worms.
• Ciliates-parasites.

By infecting one individual, pathogens can spread to other fish. As a result, a sick gourami should be resettled in another container until complete recovery. It is necessary to treat fish ailments under the supervision of veterinarians.

As a preventive measure, it is necessary to quarantine the acquired fish by placing it for some time (about one week) in a separate aquarium. In order to rid the beginner of possible infections, he is dipped into an antiseptic solution every day. As an antiseptic, it is recommended to take solutions of methylene blue, rivanol, brilliant green of low concentration, a solution of antibiotics (biomycin or oxytetracycline). After sanitization, gourami should be immediately released into clean water. This is the only way to avoid the development of diseases in the community aquarium.