FrozenFins Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 @Hobbit has a great thread on breeding honey gourami, hopefully this helps: The fry are almost sellable (i beleive, hobbit correct me if I'm wrong). He could also probably help the identifying of which is which. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 To clear up, we were unsure if the first fish was a male without a solid profile pic. But we were positive the aggressor was a male. I suppose it all makes sense now he was just getting frisky. You can always give them a piece of styrofoam or a fake plastic leaf with a suction cup (I think they are called betta hammocks?) to protect their bubble nest and give them more structure to adhere to. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 @JamesB @FishMonger thanks for the shout-out! 😊 33 minutes ago, JamesB said: He could also probably help the identifying of which is which. I am actually a she! How hilarious that this gourami and I end up clarifying our gender in the same thread. 😂 Surprise!! @mgudyka I don’t have any reactions left today but congratulations on the mating pair!! And congrats on getting to keep your other tank for pea puffers! You’ll be able to tell within 48 hours if there are any fertile eggs (maybe even sooner if you keep a close eye). When they hatch they will be REALLY small so they may just appear as black specks among the bubbles. Look under the nest and you’ll see what looks like tiny black hairs. Those are the babies! And yep, the female will be the rounder one, and the male will be a bit more colorful. As they get older the differences should become clearer, too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 9 hours ago, mgudyka said: No movement, just pressed up against each other...But my goodness what are they doing here? What are mommy and daddy doing! Don't worry Bobby, mommy and daddy are just 'fighting'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 2 hours ago, Daniel said: What are mommy and daddy doing! Don't worry Bobby, mommy and daddy are just 'fighting'. That's funny. I named my fish bobby/bobbi and billy/billi (because I didn't know if they were boys or girls or one of each 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 8 hours ago, Hobbit said: @JamesB @FishMonger thanks for the shout-out! 😊 I am actually a she! How hilarious that this gourami and I end up clarifying our gender in the same thread. 😂 Surprise!! @mgudyka I don’t have any reactions left today but congratulations on the mating pair!! And congrats on getting to keep your other tank for pea puffers! You’ll be able to tell within 48 hours if there are any fertile eggs (maybe even sooner if you keep a close eye). When they hatch they will be REALLY small so they may just appear as black specks among the bubbles. Look under the nest and you’ll see what looks like tiny black hairs. Those are the babies! And yep, the female will be the rounder one, and the male will be a bit more colorful. As they get older the differences should become clearer, too. Sounds like I will need to get a breeding box, a magnifying glass, and fry food. Damn I just placed an order at aquarium co-op yesterday. Guess I have to place another 😎 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 8 hours ago, Biotope Biologist said: To clear up, we were unsure if the first fish was a male without a solid profile pic. But we were positive the aggressor was a male. I suppose it all makes sense now he was just getting frisky. You can always give them a piece of styrofoam or a fake plastic leaf with a suction cup (I think they are called betta hammocks?) to protect their bubble nest and give them more structure to adhere to. I was ready to bet my life they were both males but hey good thing I didn't do that. I am learning so much from this forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 5 minutes ago, mgudyka said: I was ready to bet my life they were both males but hey good thing I didn't do that. I am learning so much from this forum My motto for the forum is: "I learn something new everyday!" 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 3 hours ago, mgudyka said: Sounds like I will need to get a breeding box, a magnifying glass, and fry food. One tip—my honey fry won’t eat prepared food until I force them to wean at 8-9 weeks of age. The young fry especially will not eat anything that doesn’t move—plus for the first three weeks or so, they’re so small they can’t eat even really fine foods. I prepare an infusoria culture to feed them early on. https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Infusoria For me, the culture takes about a week to mature before it’s ready to feed the fry. I think if I put a warm light on it or got it in really bright sun it would develop faster though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted March 26, 2021 Author Share Posted March 26, 2021 Update for you all: when I got home from work, the bubble nest was gone. It appears they have called things off for now. Sure I am disappointed, but I am not sure I was ready to be a fish grandma anyway, so it's for the best. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishMonger Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 He was a fast mover! Maybe in time. I don't think I'd be ready that soon either. 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted March 26, 2021 Author Share Posted March 26, 2021 Second update: nest is still gone but I did find babies. Many have been eaten by the red phantoms. I don't have a breeder box or anything to feed babies so any remaining survivors may be goners by the time I get home from work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishMonger Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 Wow! Well if not that's still good to know! 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted March 26, 2021 Author Share Posted March 26, 2021 5 minutes ago, FishMonger said: Wow! Well if not that's still good to know! 🙂 It was crazy to see these tiny specks with tiny tails swimming around and then by the time my husband spots one, boom, eaten by a tetra 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted March 26, 2021 Author Share Posted March 26, 2021 @Hobbitdo you have tips to help me keep any babies alive before getting a breeder box? Can I put them in a cup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 (edited) Depends on what random items you have handy. I find the hardest part of raising honey fry is trying to keep the fry contained for the first two weeks without killing them. 😆 You need enough water circulation that the water in their container stays clean and warm, but the water has to circulate through really fine mesh otherwise all the babies just swim out. Early on when you’re not feeding them yet (and they’re not pooping), you can probably get away with putting them in a cup suspended part way in the tank so it stays warm. I actually raised my first batch in a homemade fry box—I superglued mesh over the holes of a strawberry container and used suction cups to hold it against the sides of the tank. If you don’t have fine mesh lying around, pantyhose will work. A commercial fry box will provide much better air circulation, but this style of box can definitely hold you over. Edited March 26, 2021 by Hobbit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgudyka Posted March 26, 2021 Author Share Posted March 26, 2021 38 minutes ago, Hobbit said: Depends on what random items you have handy. I find the hardest part of raising honey fry is trying to keep the fry contained for the first two weeks without killing them. 😆 You need enough water circulation that the water in their container stays clean and warm, but the water has to circulate through really fine mesh otherwise all the babies just swim out. Early on when you’re not feeding them yet (and they’re not pooping), you can probably get away with putting them in a cup suspended part way in the tank so it stays warm. I actually raised my first batch in a homemade fry box—I superglued mesh over the holes of a strawberry container and used suction cups to hold it against the sides of the tank. If you don’t have fine mesh lying around, pantyhose will work. A commercial fry box will provide much better air circulation, but this style of box can definitely hold you over. Thank you so much! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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