Thick-Lipped Gourami
From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
A dwarf gourami for peaceful community tanks. Best kept in pairs or a trio of one male and two females. Oliver Gorski/GNU/Wikimedia
[edit] Overview
The Thick-Lipped Gourami is among the larger of the dwarf gouramis. This languid fish will investigate its surroundings with its delicate feelers.
Family: Osphronemidae
Other common name(s):
Native range:
Habitat: A well-planted tank with a cover of floating plants and a dark substrate is the ideal environment for Colisa labiosus. This species is susceptible to disease and will not tolerate poor water conditions, so good filtration and regular water changes are a must.
Maximum length: 9 cm (4 in)
Minimum aquarium size: 38 L (10 gal)
Water: Freshwater 22 °C (295 K, 72 °F) - 26 °C (299 K, 79 °F)
General swimming level: Midwater to top
[edit] Feeding
Another gourami that is not particularly fussy when it comes to feeding, the Thick-Lipped Gourami will accept a wide variety of aquarium foods, including good-quality flake, freeze-dried and tableted vegetable foods. Supplement with periodic feedings of live foods, such as bloodworms and tubificid worms.
[edit] Aquarium Compatibility
Tends to be shy in the presence of boisterous tankmates. They make a fine choice for a small species tank. Keep one male to one or two females.
[edit] Breeding/Propagation
Bubblenest builder. The male will guard the nest and newly hatched fry, and like other bubblenest-building anabantids provides excellent attention to the glass-like wrigglers for the few days until they become mature enough to escape from the bubblenest permanently. Even after the brood is independent of the father’s attention, they school together for some time
[edit] Notes
This is a peaceful and good community citizen that should be kept with similar mild-mannered fishes.
| Common name | Thick-Lipped Gourami + |
| Family | Osphronemidae + |
| Genus | Colisa + |
| Image credit | GNU + |
| Maximum length | 4 in + |
| Minimum aquarium size | 10 gal + |
| Native range | Burma +, and India + |
| Reference | 101 Best Tropical Fishes + |
| Specific name | labiosus + |
| Swimming level | Midwater to top + |
| Text credit | KW + |
| Water max temp | 299 K (26 °C, 79 °F) + |
| Water min temp | 295 K (22 °C, 72 °F) + |
| Water type | Freshwater + |
