Three spot gourami

Last updated

Three spot gourami
Trichogster trichopterus 13.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Osphronemidae
Genus: Trichopodus
Species:
T. trichopterus
Binomial name
Trichopodus trichopterus
(Pallas, 1770)
Synonyms [2]
  • Labrus trichopterusPallas, 1770
  • Trichogaster trichopterus(Pallas, 1770)
  • Trichopus trichopterus(Pallas, 1770)
  • Trichopus sepat Bleeker, 1845 (ambiguous)
  • Stethochaetus biguttatus Gronow, 1854
  • Osphromenus siamensis Günther, 1861
  • Nemaphoerus maculosus Kuhl & van Hasselt, 1879 (ambiguous)
  • Osphromenus insulatus Seale, 1910

The three spot gourami (Trichopodus trichopterus), also known as the opaline gourami, blue gourami, and gold gourami, is a species of fish native to southeastern Asia, but also introduced elsewhere. [1] This gourami gets its name from the two spots along each side of its body in line with the eye, considered the third spot. [3] This species is of minor commercial importance as a food fish in its native range and is also farmed. It is also popular in the aquarium trade. [2] The species reaches 15 cm (5.9 inches) in standard length. [2]

Contents

Name

The three spot gourami gets its vernacular name from the two spots along each side of its body in line together with the eye being considered as the third spot. It is also known as "hairfin gourami" (from its specific name trichopterus) or "two-spot gourami" (in Malaysia). Variety names include "opal" or "opaline gourami" (or "Cosby gourami") for varieties with a marbled pattern, "blue gourami" for the blue morph, "gold" or "golden gourami" for the yellow morph, "platinum gourami" for the white morph, and "lavender (or "amethyst") gourami" for the result morph of crossing a blue and gold. [4] [5] [6]

Distribution and ecology

Three spot gourami are native to standing or slow-moving freshwater habitats in southeastern Asia, ranging from Yunnan (China), through mainland southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) to Indonesia (Java, Borneo and Sumatra). [1] [2] They have been widely introduced outside their native range, such as the Philippines, India, Sulawesi, and southwestern Trinidad. [1] [7] These fish live in marshes, swamps, canals, and lowland wetlands. They migrate during the flood season from permanent water bodies to flooded areas, such as seasonally flooded forests in the middle and lower Mekong. During the dry season, they return to these permanent water bodies. [2] These fish feed on zooplankton, crustaceans, and insect larvae. [2] The male builds a bubble nest for the eggs, which he protects aggressively. [8]

In the aquarium

The three spot gourami is a hardy fish. [8] They can be housed with a variety of tank mates of similar size and temperament. While males can be territorial with each other, they become timid around other, more aggressive fish. [8]

Gourami frontal view Blue Gourami Close Up.jpg
Gourami frontal view

Male gouramis are known to be very aggressive; they may also be fin nippers and generally may bother other fish in the tank. They often show aggression toward species with long, flowing fins such as male guppies, goldfish, and bettas, because they display long tails and bright colors, presenting competition for impressing a female gourami. Female gourami sometimes bother other fish, but usually keep to themselves.

Though aquarists are typically told not to house multiple gouramis together, three spot gouramis that have been brought up together in pairs (usually females, especially if they are siblings) and that have stable personalities, can successfully cohabit with each other, provided there is enough room to swim. This varies based on individual personalities, but it has been accomplished by aquarists. In such situations, typically one may assume a more dominant role and grow larger, while occasionally teasing or playfully chasing around the smaller submissive fish, but both will generally be tolerant and cooperative toward each other.

Feeding

The three spot gourami is an omnivore and requires both algae-based and meaty foods. An algae-based flake food, along with freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex worms, and brine shrimp provide these fish with the proper nutrition. Live foods such as mosquito larvae and daphnia are also beneficial.

Breeding

Juvenile three spot gourami from the Philippines Trichopodus trichopterus (3 spot gourami, Philippines) 03.jpg
Juvenile three spot gourami from the Philippines

Differentiating between the male and female three spot gourami is by the dorsal fin. In the male, the dorsal fin is long and pointed and the anal fin is pointed, while the female's are shorter and rounded. However, some females may have a dorsal fin as long as the male's. [8] When ready to breed, the male builds a bubble nest and then begins to entice the female by swimming back and forth, flaring his fins and raising his tail. The female may lay up to 800 eggs. [3] After spawning, the females often are removed to a separate aquarium as the male may become aggressive toward her. The male protects the eggs and fry, but normally is removed after they become free-swimming. [3] After hatching, frequent water changes, especially during the third week, are used to ensure the health of the fry, as this is when the labyrinth organ is developing.

Color

Three spot gourami are known to change color (their black spots will fade) when under high stress or when they are not kept under good conditions. Healthy fish have two vivid black spots on each side of their bodies, but these fade with age. Selectively bred varieties most commonly available in the aquarium trade are opaline (or opal) (with a marbled pattern), platinum (or silver) (whitish), blue, golden (or gold) (xanthochromistic), and lavender (or amethyst) (the result of crossing a blue and golden, having a purple coloration).

Varieties

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gourami</span> Family of fishes

Gouramis, or gouramies, are a group of freshwater anabantiform fish that comprise the family Osphronemidae. The fish are native to Asia—from the Indian Subcontinent to Southeast Asia and northeasterly towards Korea. The name "gourami", of Indonesian origin, is also used for fish of the families Helostomatidae and Anabantidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger barb</span> Species of fish

The tiger barb or Sumatra barb, is a species of tropical cyprinid fish. The natural geographic range reportedly extends throughout the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia, with unsubstantiated sightings reported in Cambodia. Tiger barbs are also found in many other parts of Asia, and with little reliable collection data over long periods of time, definite conclusions about their natural geographic range versus established introductions are difficult. Tiger barbs may sometimes be confused with Puntigrus anchisporus, Puntigrus navjotsodhii, or Puntigrus partipentazona, which are similar in appearance, the only differences being the slightly different stripe pattern and the number of scales these fish have.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kissing gourami</span> Species of freshwater fish

Kissing gouramis, also known as kissing fish or kissers, are medium-sized tropical freshwater fish comprising the monotypic labyrinth fish family Helostomatidae. These fish originate from Mainland Southeast Asia, Greater Sundas and nearby smaller islands, but have also been introduced outside their native range. They are regarded as a food fish and they are sometimes farmed. They are used fresh for steaming, baking, broiling, and pan frying. The kissing gourami is a popular aquarium fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise fish</span> Species of fish

The paradise fish, paradise-fish, paradisefish, or paradise gourami is a species of gourami found in most types of fresh water in East Asia, ranging from the Korean Peninsula to northern Vietnam. This species can reach a standard length of 6.7 cm, though most are only about 5.5 cm . Paradise gouramis were one of the first ornamental fish available to western aquarium keepers, having been imported 1869 to France by the French aquarium fish importer Pierre Carbonnier in Paris. The paradise fish is one of the more aggressive members of its family. It is more aggressive than the three spot gourami, yet less pugnacious in nature than the less commonly kept combtail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwarf gourami</span> Species of fish

The dwarf gourami is a species of gourami native to South Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pearl gourami</span> Species of fish

The pearl gourami is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croaking gourami</span> Species of fish

The croaking gourami is a species of small freshwater labyrinth fish of the gourami family. They are native to still waters in Southeast Asia and are distributed worldwide via the aquarium trade. Croaking gouramis are capable of producing a "croaking" noise using their pectoral fins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pygmy gourami</span> Species of fish

The pygmy gourami, also known as the sparkling gourami, is a freshwater species of gourami native to Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anabantoidei</span> Suborder of fishes

The Anabantoidei are a suborder of anabantiform ray-finned freshwater fish distinguished by their possession of a lung-like labyrinth organ, which enables them to breathe air. The fish in the Anabantoidei suborder are known as anabantoids or labyrinth fish, or colloquially as gouramies. Some labyrinth fish are important food fish, and many others, such as the Siamese fighting fish and paradise fish, are popular as aquarium fish.

<i>Mikrogeophagus altispinosus</i> Species of fish

Mikrogeophagus altispinosus is a species of fish endemic to the Amazon River basin in Brazil and Bolivia. The species is part of the family Cichlidae and subfamily Geophaginae. It is a popular aquarium fish, traded under the common names Bolivian butterfly, Bolivian ram, Bolivian ram cichlid, and ruby crown cichlid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thick-lipped gourami</span> Species of fish

The thick-lipped gourami is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia, and is a popular aquarium fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moonlight gourami</span> Species of fish

The moonlight gourami, also known as the moonbeam gourami, is a labyrinth fish of the family Osphronemidae native to Indochina. This peaceful species is a popular aquarium fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snakeskin gourami</span> Species of fish

The snakeskin gourami is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia. Prior to the merging of Belontidae to the family Osphronemidae, the snakeskin gourami was regarded as the largest member of its family. It is still the largest species in its genus and subfamily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zig-zag eel</span> Species of fish

The zig-zag eel, also known as the tire-track eel, tire-track spiny eel or marbled spiny eel, is a species of ray-finned, spiny eels belonging to the genus Mastacembelus of the family Mastacembelidae, and is native to the riverine fauna of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The species was described as Macrognathus armatus by Lacepède in 1800. Other common names for this popular aquarium species are leopard spiny eel and white-spotted spiny eel. This species is not only a popular aquarium fish but also as a food fish in its country of origin.

<i>Trichopodus</i> Genus of fishes

Trichopodus is a genus of tropical freshwater labyrinth fish of the gourami family found in Southeast Asia. Gouramis of the genus Trichopodus are closely related to those of Trichogaster ; species of both genera have long, thread-like pelvic fins used to sense the environment. However, Trichopodus species have shorter dorsal fin base and, when sexually mature, are much larger, with the largest, the snakeskin gourami, capable of reaching a length of over 8 in (20 cm).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honey gourami</span> Species of fish

The honey gourami is a species of gourami native to India and Bangladesh.

<i>Chrysiptera parasema</i> Species of fish

Chrysiptera parasema, also known as yellowtail damselfish, yellowtail blue damsel, goldtail demoiselle and other variations, is a popular saltwater species of fish from the Indo-Pacific. It was described by Fowler in 1918.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odessa barb</span> Species of fish

The Odessa barb is a species of cyprinid fish known from Central Myanmar, where it is known to occur in an artificial pond above the Anisakan Falls and also from the lower Chindwin River. For many years it has been known to the aquarium hobby, where it has frequently been confused with the less colourful ticto barb), but it was only described scientifically in 2008.

Trichopodus cantoris is a species of gourami native to Asia. This taxon is treated as a synonym of Trichopodus trichopterus by some authorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Threestripe gourami</span> Species of fish

The threestripe gourami, also known as the Mekong croaking gourami, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the subfamily Macropodusinae which is part of the gourami family Osphronemidae. It is native to south-east Asia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Low, B.W. (2019). "Trichopodus trichopterus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T187981A89805622. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T187981A89805622.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2007). "Trichopodus trichopterus" in FishBase . May 2007 version.
  3. 1 2 3 Axelrod, Herbert R. (1996). Exotic Tropical Fishes. T.F.H. Publications. ISBN   0-87666-543-1.
  4. ↑ "Common names of Trichopodus trichopterus". FishBase. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  5. ↑ "Trichopodus trichopterus (Pallas, 1770)".
  6. ↑ "Gourami Fresh Water Fish Information and Pictures".
  7. ↑ The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago: Trichopodus trichopterus. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Sanford, Gina (1999). Aquarium Owner's Guide . New York: DK Publishing. ISBN   0-7894-4614-6.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.