Breeding Honey Gourami

How to breed Trichogaster chuna, a bubble-nesting labyrinth fish: nuptial coloration, nest building, the spawning embrace, male nest care and fry rearing.

Overview

Trichogaster chuna is a bubble-nesting labyrinth fish that forms temporary pair bonds. The male builds a bubble nest and, after spawning, tends the eggs and nest alone; this is an intermediate breeding project.

Sexing

Females are brownish, noticeably larger, and show a broad brownish midlateral stripe from behind the eye to the caudal peduncle. Non-breeding males look similar but have a slightly orange base color. Nuptial males transform dramatically, turning bright orange on the body and operculum with dark blue to black on the head, lower front body, and anal-fin rays. Ornamental strains may not show these color changes.

Breeding Setup

• Plenty of floating and stem plants with leaves reaching the surface
• Gentle filtration via an air-powered sponge filter
• The tightest-fitting cover available to keep the air above the water warm and humid for labyrinth-organ development

Spawning Behavior

The male builds a bubble nest beneath a broad leaf or in a tank corner, without incorporating plant fragments. Courtship involves the pair touching one another with their modified ventral fins. Spawning occurs in the characteristic osphronemid embrace, the male wrapping around the female as eggs and milt are released together.

Egg & Fry Care

Remove the female once spawning ends; the male tends the nest until the eggs hatch, usually in around 24-36 hours, with fry free-swimming another 24-48 hours later. Remove the male once the fry are free-swimming. First foods are infusoria or liquid fry food for the first week, then brine shrimp nauplii or microworm.

Common Challenges

The fry are very small and very sensitive to changes in water chemistry and temperature, so stable conditions and a tight cover are essential during the early weeks.