Moonlight Gourami (Trichopodus microlepis) Breeding Guide

Breeding Trichopodus microlepis: sexing by pelvic-fin colour, a warm densely planted spawning tank, the anabantoid embrace, up to 2000 eggs and sensitive fry care.

Overview

Trichopodus microlepis occurs in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and reaches about 15 cm. It is a labyrinth bubble nester kept at 25-30 °C and pH 6.0-7.5. Breeding is described as not easy.

Sexing

The male has orange or red pelvic fins, while the female's are yellow.

Conditioning

Feed the prospective pair live food abundantly to bring them into spawning condition before introducing them to the breeding tank.

Breeding Setup

Provide the pair with their own densely planted tank that includes floating plants, reduce the water level to roughly 15-20 cm and slowly raise the temperature to about 29-30 °C. The male constructs a loose bubble nest among the surface vegetation.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

The pair position themselves under the nest and adopt the typical anabantoid spawning embrace. Spawning may last up to two hours, and up to 2000 eggs may be released.

Egg & Fry Care

Remove the female after spawning. The eggs hatch in 1-2 days and the fry become free-swimming about two days after hatching, at which point the male can be removed. Offer infusoria three to four times daily for the first two weeks, then newly hatched brine shrimp and powdered flake food.

Common Challenges

The fry are very sensitive to changes in water chemistry, so no water changes are recommended until they reach around 1 cm in length. Maintaining a stable, warm environment and the surface air layer required by a labyrinth species is therefore critical.