The Thick Lipped Gourami, or sunset gourami, Trichogaster labiosa (previously Colisa labiosa) turns into a really good-looking fish. In this article, I am going to talk about sunset gourami fish, size, vs honey gourami, care, tank mates, male-female, aggressive, breeding, etc.
Sunset gourami fish profile
As soon as the sunset gourami will get settled this magnificence makes a really enticing addition to a neighborhood aquarium.
The mature grownup sunset gourami has a splendid rusty orange or brown coloration accented by turquoise colored fins with orange or pink edges.
The male sunset gourami is much more beautiful with daring turquoise bands that run vertically alongside the physique, particularly in the direction of the again.
The time period ‘labiosa’ in its scientific title means ‘lip’ and is referring to the thick lips of this fish, therefore its different widespread title is Thicklip Gourami.
Sunset gourami is an unbelievable fish in its true coloration, but it surely has been additionally developed to convey out extra of its orange.
This coloration morph isn’t present in nature however has been selectively bred for the aquarium commerce.
This gold or ‘sunset’ pressure has the barred patterning of the “true” kind changed by a uniform orangish pink or gold coloration.
This selection can also be very beautiful and the feminine is nearly as colorful because of the male. It is called the Sunset gourami or Sunset Thicklip Gourami, and typically can also be known as the Orange Thicklip Gourami or Golden Thicklip Gourami.
Sunset thick lip Gouramis are a colorful variant of the Thicklip Gourami Colisa labiosa (often known as Trichogaster labiosa in some references).
They’ve silver heads with mild fading to darkish pink posteriors. Females are wider bodies and are barely much less colorful. As with every different variant, coloration might fluctuate barely from the fish pictured right here.
Gouramis and different Anabantids (together with the ever-popular Bettas and Siamese Combating Fish) have an inside organ known as the labyrinth organ that enables them to breathe atmospheric air along with utilizing their gills.
That is an adaptation to the rice paddies and stagnant swimming pools during which these fish typically dwell.
All gouramis even have specialized pelvic fins that appear like lengthy filaments that they use to sense their environment.
Gouramis, like bettas, are bubble nest breeders. The males construct floating nests out of bubbles that the eggs are deposited into till they hatch and become free-swimming fry.
Sunset gourami breeding is pretty easy. Women and men might be differentiated by colors in lots of circumstances (males being extra colorful) and male fish develop a dorsal fin that’s elongated and ends to a degree whereas females keep brief and rounded.
These fish will settle for a big number of floating pellet and flake meals. Gouramis are typically appropriate for planted aquariums, as they won’t injury the dwell crops.
As they get bigger they’ll develop into barely aggressive, significantly to different gouramis or in confined circumstances.
Tankmates need to be chosen in a position to deal with this aggression. They do properly with barbs, loaches, giant tetras, and semi-aggressive cichlids.
Dwarf gouramis are much less aggressive and might be saved with smaller or extra peaceable tankmates, or in smaller aquariums than their bigger counterparts.
Some species are extremely specialized and should develop very giant or want a really particular pH to vary or different water parameters.
Sunset gourami could be very carefully associated with the well-known Dwarf Gourami Trichogaster lalius and the Banded Gourami Trichogaster fasciatus.
The truth is the pure coloration sample of the Thick Lipped Gourami is so just like that of the Banded Gourami, that the 2 are simply mistaken.
Additionally, due to the shut relationship between the Thick Lipped Gourami and these different two, they’ll crossbreed.
Selectively bred hybrids have produced much more new coloration patterns in golds, reds, and greens, with the pink hybrid being known as the “Robin Gourami”.
These coloration morphs are sometimes extra obtainable to the aquarist than the “true” kind, presumably as a result of they preserve their coloration higher on the retailers.
Whether or not as coloration morphs of particular person species or as hybrids of two species, the variety of coloration varieties selectively bred in captivity has created confusion.
When deciding on any of those fish it helps to know the scientific title in addition to the widespread title.
It’s because widespread names are sometimes utilized fairly indiscriminately, with totally different developed varieties typically being known as by the identical title. an instance of that is the Sunset gourami.
Sunsets generally is a coloration variation of the Thick Lipped Gourami T. Labiosa or the Honey Gourami T. Chuna, and likewise different fish can have a “sunset” coloration morph.
This gourami is a Labyrinth fish, and as is the attribute of this group it should have entry to the floor of the tank so it will possibly breathe.
They’ll nonetheless get oxygen by passing water by way of their gills, however, they have got a further respiratory organ known as the “labyrinth organ”.
One other attribute is that of being a bubble nest builder, and this male appears to take pleasure in constructing his nest.
He’ll construct a nest so massive that it will possibly cover half of the aquarium floor. Nevertheless, the nest is fragile and he doesn’t use vegetation in it, however, to maintain it secure he’ll construct it below a leaf.
Thick Lipped Gouramis are a lot harder than most dwarf varieties and one of many best species of gourami to breed. This makes them nice first fish for the start keeper.
As soon as acclimated and comfy in their very own atmosphere, their really lovely colors start to emerge.
They have an important urge for food and though they appear to favor dwell meals, they aren’t choosy about what meals they’ll eat.
Being a peaceable fish makes them a superb addition to a neighborhood tank however they could be a little timid, particularly if housed with fish that pester them. These fish do properly in a gaggle or with different peaceable fish in a tank as small as 15 gallons.
They like a planted aquarium so that they have locations to cover. Ideally, place crops alongside the again of the aquarium, have some floating crops, and depart open areas within the entrance for them to swim.
This species in its pure coloration isn’t as in style as different varieties. It’s because few hobbyists have the endurance to attend for the
Thicklip Gourami’s full colors, which are slower in coming. Nevertheless, people who do decide to protect this fish are vastly rewarded when males flush with their breeding colors. They’re among the most sensible of the household!
For Info on protecting freshwater fish, see:
Sunset gourami Freshwater Aquarium Information: Aquarium Setup and Care
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Osphronemidae
Genus: Trichogaster
Species: labiosa
Sunset Gourami – Fast Aquarium Care
Aquarist Expertise Degree: Newbie
Measurement of fish – inches: 4.Zero inches (10.03 cm)
Minimal Tank Measurement: 15 gal (57 L)
Temperament: Peaceable
Aquarium Hardiness: Very Hardy
Temperature: 72.Zero to 83.0° F (22.2 to 28.3° C)
Habitat: Distribution / Background
The Sunset gourami Trichogaster labiosa (beforehand Colisa labiosa) was described by Day in 1877.
It’s present in tropical South Asia the place it’s indigenous to Southern Myanmar (Burma) from the Irrawaddy, Sittang (Sittoung), and the Nice Tenasserim River (or Tanintharyi River).
It has additionally been launched into Colombia, South America. One other widespread title it’s recognized by is Thicklip Gourami.
This species is listed on the IUCN Red List as Least Concern (LC) as it’s widespread and there are not any vital threats throughout its vary.
Most of those fish obtainable within the commerce right now are commercially produced. It is extremely unlikely that wild-caught specimens could be encountered for the aquarium.
A paper by Myers in 1923 resulted in a taxonomic misinterpretation and at the moment the generic title Colisa was adopted for the small western species of gourami, together with this species.
This interpretation has extra not too long ago come below overview and the taxonomical construction revisited and restructured.
The result’s that each one of the species which had been positioned below Colisa have now been modified to Trichogaster as per Topfer and Schindler in 2009, and Tan and Kottelat in 2009.
They’re present in rivers in addition to ponds, irrigation channels, and rice fields. The waters they inhabit are shady and sluggish shifting, often with a lot of aquatic crops in addition to floating vegetation.
They’re omnivorous in nature most certainly feeding on small invertebrates, bugs, and different zooplankton.
A fascinating habit, just like that of the Archer Fish Toxotes spp., present in each of the Trichopodus and Trichogaster species is that they’ve been noticed catching their prey by squirting water.
They do that by aligning themselves diagonally within the water to look at for prey above. Then with sudden contractions of their mouth cavity, they’ll squirt drops of water on the prey, knocking it off its perch into the water, the place it’s rapidly snapped up by the fish.
Scientific Name: Trichogaster labiosa
Social Grouping: Teams – In nature, this species lives communally with different peaceable species.
IUCN Red List: LC – Least Concern
Sunset gourami Description
The Sunset gourami is considerably compressed and roughly follows the diamond form of the opposite gouramis.
The fins are rounded and comparatively giant. The male can have a noticeably pointed extension of the dorsal fin.
The pelvic fins are threadlike and intensely delicate. This fish has a labyrinth organ, part of the fish which permits it to soak up atmospheric oxygen straight into the bloodstream.
It’s going to attain virtually Four inches (10 cm) in size and has a median lifespan of 4 – 7 years with correct care.
The bottom body coloration of males is a rusty orange or brown. The male fish can have daring turquoise bands that run vertically starting behind the neck and rising extra stable towards the again of the fish.
The fins are additionally turquoise with orange or pink edges. The color turns brighter when males are in a breeding situation. The females are olive-brown with very hazy or nonexistent blue bars
A selectively-bred golden or “sunset” pressure has additionally been produced for a pink or golden coloration.
In these or all the blue colors are bred out and a hotter and lighter body coloration of pink, orange, or yellow is produced.
It’s recognized by a number of widespread names together with Sunset Gourami, Sunset gourami, Orange Thicklip Gourami, and Golden Thicklip Gourami.
These names, or a mixture of them, are additionally typically used for coloration morphs of the Honey Gourami T. Chuna, the Dwarf Gourami T. lalius, and typically different dwarf species.
They’re used for hybrids as properly, the place the T. labiosa is crossed with both the Dwarf Gourami T. lalius or the Banded Gourami Trichogaster fasciatus.
Some have tried to capitalize on the success of the Sunset gourami by creating dyed variations of the 2.
The extra benign model of the dying course of merely entails feeding meals laced with dyes. The superficial coloration of the fish rapidly fades and so far as we all know, the fish goes on to steer a kind of regular life.
The opposite model makes use of the way more questionable, however equally short-term dye methodology known as portray, juicing, or just dyeing.
Pockets of liquid dye are believed to be injected with a big needle in a number of, maybe dozens of websites, on the fish beneath the pores and skin.
There may be sturdy proof suggesting that the method is painful for the fish, causes the decreased immune system to operate, and drastically shortens the lifetime of the fish.
Whereas finally, the choice is with the aquarist, they need to be ready to make a knowledgeable selection with their purchases.
Size of fish – inches: 4.0 inches (10.03 cm)
Lifespan: 4 years – Their common lifespan is 4 – 7 years with correct care.
Sunset gourami Keeping Challenges
This can be a hardy fish with a peaceable nature and makes a good selection for the newbie.
They’re pretty simple to keep up and readily take most commercially ready meals. They like to heat water however are fairly adaptable.
Not being overly delicate to water chemistry circumstances, they’ll tolerate modifications inside purpose.
Aquarium Hardiness: Very Hardy
Aquarist Experience Level: Newbie
Sunset gourami Meals and Feeding
The Sunset gourami is omnivorous, within the wild, they most certainly feed on small invertebrates, bugs, and different zooplankton.
They particularly like dwell meals, however, will adapt to different meals readily. Within the aquarium, these fish will typically eat every kind of dwell, recent, and flake meals.
To maintain a superb steadiness give them high-quality flake or pellet meals as the bottom to the weight loss plan.
Complement this with dwell meals akin to white worms, blood worms, brine shrimp, or some other appropriate substitute.
Recent greens in addition to vegetable tablets, like spirulina wafers, might be supplied properly. Typically feed a couple of times a day.
Diet Type: Omnivore
Flake Meals: Yes
Pill / Pellet: Sure
Stay meals (fishes, shrimps, worms): A few of Food plan
Vegetable Meals: A few of Food plan
Meaty Meals: A few of Food plan
Feeding Frequency: Each day – Typically feed a couple of times a day.
Sunset gourami Aquarium Care
These gouramis are hardy fish however the aquarist should present a rigorous system of water modifications.
Though the labyrinth organ permits the fish to outlive in oxygen-depleted water, it’s a widespread false impression that this makes water modifications pointless.
That is hardly the case as these fish will endure the identical tissue injury from constructed-up toxins as some other fish.
Common water modifications are a should with 25% weekly being beneficial.
Water Adjustments: Weekly – Weekly water modifications of 25% are beneficial.
Sunset gourami Aquarium Setup
The Thick Lipped Gourami will swim in all components of the aquarium. A small group might be housed in a tank as small as 15 gallons.
Bigger tanks provide more room for crops nevertheless, and the water will probably be extra secure.
It’s fascinating to maintain the tank in a room with temperature as shut as attainable to the tank water, or threat damaging the labyrinth organ.
The tank ought to have an environment-friendly filtration system however ought to not create an excessive amount of a present. Air stones are additionally beneficial for these fish as they like properly oxygenated waters.
These gouramis will present their colors finest on a darkish substrate. They’re timid fish and like a planted aquarium so that they have of locations to cover.
Ideally, place crops alongside the again of the aquarium, have some floating crops, and depart open areas within the entrance for them to swim.
As with a lot of the household, this species appreciates the duvet of floating crops properly. Nevertheless, they’ll recurrently breathe air on the floor so it’s vital to have some areas unencumbered with crops.
Minimum Tank Size: 15 gal (57 L)
Appropriate for Nano Tank: Yes
Substrate Type: Any
Lighting Needs: Average – regular lighting
Temperature: 72.0 to 83.0° F (22.2 to 28.3° C) – Maintain the encompassing room temperature per the water temperature to keep away from inflicting trauma to the labyrinth organ.
Breeding Temperature: 80.0° F – Breeding temperatures are between 80 – 84° F (26 – 29° C).
Range ph: 6.0-7.5
Hardness Range: 4 – 15 dGH
Brackish: No
Water Motion: Weak
Water Area: All – These fish will swim in all areas of the aquarium.
Sunset gourami Social Behaviors
The Thick Lipped Gouramis are typically good neighborhood fish however they’re timid and slow-moving, so it might take a little bit of time to develop into snug in an aquarium and are available out of hiding.
As soon as they’re fortunately established the male’s coloring will start to point out.
Take nice care when selecting tankmates as very energetic or aggressive fish can simply intimidate them and sometimes out-compete them for meals.
These fish are one of many extra peaceable gouramis. They’ll show some hierarchal habits, however aren’t as aggressive as among the different fish within the group.
A small group of those fish which can be about the identical measurement ought to have the ability to dwell peacefully collectively.
The best scenario is to acquire a gaggle of 5 or extra children and lift them collectively. Maintain them alone in their very own tank or sharing a tank with another calm, pleasant species.
They shouldn’t be blended with fin nippers as their trailing pelvic fins and customarily slower motion makes them an ideal sufferer.
Territorial species akin to many cichlids are finest prevented too. Don’t maintain it with its shut relative to the Banded Gourami T. fasciata, as a result of though it’s a distinct species these two can simply hybridize.
They do finest when saved with different peaceable fish. Good tankmates are peaceable cyprinids such because the Harlequin Rasbora Trigonostigma heteromorpha and lots of the different rasboras, danios, smaller Pethia, and Puntius species.
A number of the peaceable barbs additionally work properly, however, keep away from these which can be infamous fin nippers like Tiger Barbs and Clown Barbs.
Smaller loaches just like the Kuhlii Loach Pangio kuhlii and its kinfolk, lots of the Tetras, smaller catfish like Corydoras species and Otocinclus, and smaller Rainbowfish make nice tankmates.
Temperament: Peaceable – Although considerably hierarchal, these fish are not often violent in the direction of one another or different fish locally aquarium.
Sunset gourami Tankmates
Similar species – conspecifics: Sure – They are often saved as a pair or in teams of 5 or extra people.
Peaceful fish (): Protected – These fish are very timid, so be certain that to maintain with much less boisterous fish.
Semi-Aggressive (): Threat
Aggressive (): Threat
Large Semi-Aggressive (): Threat
Large Aggressive, Predatory (): Threat
Sluggish Swimmers & Eaters (): Monitor
Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Protected – not aggressive
Plants: Protected – These fish admire a properly planted tank.
Sex: Sexual variations
These fish exhibit sexual dimorphism with the male turning into way more colorful when in breeding mode. The male may also have a pointed dorsal fin whereas the feminine’s is noticeably rounder.
Sunset gourami Breeding / Reproduction
The Thick Lipped Gourami is, without doubt, one of the best species of gourami to breed, however, a separate tank is required.
Like most fish in this household, it’s a bubble nest builder. A pair will probably be most certainly to spawn if there’s an honest quantity of crops, a superb sized floor space, and the temperature is to their liking.
For a few weeks previous to spawning the pair needs to be separated. Throughout this time they have to be properly conditioned with small choices of dwell and frozen meals on a number of occasions a day. When properly fed, females ought to start filling out with eggs, showing very plump.
Present a breeding tank, both 10 or 20 gallons work high quality. The water needs to be shallow, with about 5″ (13 cm) being ultimate. Water parameters need to be about 8° dGH and the temperature between 80 – 84° F (26 – 29° C).
It isn’t crucial however you’ll be able to add a small gently air-powered sponge filter or some peat filtration, nevertheless, the tank present needs to be minimal. They want loads of floating crops and/or stem crops grown to the floor.
Cover the tank properly to maintain the air above the water heater and humid, to assist stop injury to the labyrinth organ.
Introduce the feminine to the breeding tank a few days earlier than the male, then introduce the male.
The male will construct an enormous nest that may cowl half of the aquarium floor. Nevertheless, the nest is fragile and he doesn’t use vegetation in it, however, he’ll construct it below a leaf if obtainable.
As soon as the nest had been constructed the male will start a courtship show to entice the feminine to spawn.
He’ll swim forwards and backward, flaring his fins and elevating his tail till the feminine permits him to wrap his physique around hers.
As the feminine releases her eggs the male will instantly fertilize them. The male will decide the eggs up in his mouth and put them in his bubble nest. The pair will then spawn once more till about 500 eggs are produced.
The feminine should be eliminated presently because the male will fiercely guard the nest and eggs.
He’ll proceed to have a tendency the nest and guard the eggs till they hatch. The eggs will hatch in about 24 – 36 hours, relying on the temperature.
After about 2 – Three extra days the fry will develop into free-swimming.
That is when the male needs to be eliminated or he may eat the fry rising from the nest. Free swimming fry might be fed infusoria or liquid fry meals till they’re giant sufficient to eat child brine shrimp.
See the outline of breeding strategies in Breeding Freshwater Fish: Anabantoids. Additionally, see Fish Meals for Fry for details about varieties of meals for elevating the younger.
Fish Ailments
Thick Lipped Gouramis are very hardy so illness isn’t often an issue in a properly maintained aquarium.
Some illnesses they’re susceptible to are bacterial infections, constipation, and Gap within the Head if good water high quality, diet, and upkeep are not offered.
With any additions to a tank akin to new fish, crops, substrates, and decorations there’s a threat of introducing illness.
It is advisable to correctly clear or quarantine something that you really want to add to a longtime tank previous to the introduction, in order to not upset the steadiness.
These fish are resilient however understanding the indicators of sickness, and catching and treating them early makes an enormous distinction.
An outbreak of illness can typically be restricted to only one or just a few fishes should you cope with it at an early stage.
One of the simplest ways to proactively stop illness is to provide your fish the correct atmosphere and a properly balanced weight loss plan.
The nearer to their pure habitat the much less stress the fish can have, making them more healthy and blissful.
A harassed fish will is extra more likely to purchase illness. For details about freshwater fish illnesses and diseases, see Aquarium Fish Ailments and Therapies.
Other Recommended Articles
- Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) Facts
- Freshwater Barracuda Facts and Aquarium Care
- Eyeless fish (Astyanax mexicanus) Facts | Reality
- Big Barracuda Taxonomy, Description, and Teeth
- How Much is the Biggest Barracuda?
- European Conger (Conger conger) Description
- Common Toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni) Facts
- Cave Fish Facts – Habitat | Variety | Conservation
- Bichir Fish in Aquarium – Setup, Care, and Feeding
- Spotted Handfish (Brachionichthys hirsutus) Facts
- 20 Amazing Puffer Fish Facts to Know
- Puffer Fish Teeth – How to Trim a Puffer Fish Teeth
- Puffer Fish Description – Habitat and Predators
- Puffer Fish Adaptations – Behavioral Abilities
- Oyster Toadfish (Opsanus tau) Description
- Flying Gurnard Fish (Dactylopterus volitans) Facts
- European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) Description
- Mexican Cave Fish (Astyanax mexicanus) Facts
- Black Ghost Fish (Apteronotus albifrons) Facts
- Flathead Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus) Description