Gold Gourami Fry!

[Jessaminevine]

After trying for a while, I was able to get my two gold gouramis to breed successfully. I left the male and female in the the tank for the first 2 days after the eggs hatched, but this evening I removed them both (and put them in their separate tanks). There are probably 20 fry! I have been feeding green water and a little egg yolk the last two days. Hopefully most of them survive.

I've tried this twice before. Getting the eggs is no problem. However, last time I removed the female but left the male to tend the eggs. I think in the process of catching the female I spooked the male....and he ate most of the eggs. One hatched and is still alive (about 1-cm long). A similar thing happened the time before, and one survived...this one is now about 1.5 inches long.

I'm going away the next couple days. There is plenty of duckweed and hornwort in the tank, so I think they will be ok feeding on the microorganisms that colonize these plants...

Open to any and all suggestions...

[irishspy]

Good luck with those! Golds are beautiful, even though they can be feisty little buggers. :)

[Jessaminevine]

The fry survived the weekend alone. I tried to count them last night, and there are more than 55. Given the difficulty finding them with the thick duckweed and hornwort I would not be surprised if there are twice that many! They are free-swimming now and are a lot of fun to watch. I'm still feeding green water, but I have a batch of brine shrimp that will hopefully be ready in the next day or two.

[angyles]

that's so awesome!! good luck with them; I'm sure they're adorable.

[Jessaminevine]

Took a few pictures tonight. Tough to get pictures of these little guys.

[Jessaminevine]

Been feeding brine shrimp the last couple days. I'm not sure they are actually eating it. Maybe they are still too small?

[Jessaminevine]

At least some of them are eating the brine shrimp. However, in a 10-gallon tank they are lucky to encounter the brine shrimp before they settle to the bottom...so many of them never see it. Anyone have any tricks to keep the brine shrimp visible longer?

There is a huge disparity in size developing among the fry.

[Jessaminevine]

They seem to be taking to the brine shrimp a bit more. Below is a picture of one...some of them are growing fast!

[rock28]

Nice! must be fun to watch the little guys

[Jessaminevine]

A few more pictures...

[itrack4u]

Fantastic pictures! Please keep us updated with their growth.

[SidtheMonkey]

Very cool! You're doing a great job.

[Amazilia]

They are so adorable! I have about 30 kribs that are now about 4 months old and they also are growing at different rates. I was thinking maybe the females were smaller although I am not sure about your cute little gouramis! Nice work!

[Jessaminevine]

So the there are still nearly 30 babies, and the size/maturity disparity is striking. I've removed the three largest from the breeding tank and put them in my large tank, which also holds a couple angel fish, their mom, and an unrelated male (the only survivor from my second breeding attempt back in January or February), as well as some otos. Anyway the pictures are as follows:

1) The breeding tank. The still picture does not do it justice, as the tank is alive with action.

2) Close-up of one of the smaller babies still in the breeding tank.

3) Picture of the larger tank. Note the two large babies in the back.

4) Two full grown gouramis (including mom on top) and two babies in the back left.

5) Close up shot of the mom (bottom) and the unrelated male (survivior of my previous breeding attempt this winter).

6) Close up of baby.

7) Close up of baby.

[halofishboy]

Congrats! I've always wanted to have a planted tank and you not only have that but you were able to breed in it!

[clayt101]

Wow, that's awesome!!!