Honey gourami is the smallest of the coliza

The Honey Gourami is a cute little fish that is unique in the aquarium community due to its size and charm. This fish, which is sometimes called the smallest member of the Colisa family, is ideal for hobbyists looking to add a lively yet controllable element to their aquatic setup, as well as smaller tanks. Both novice and seasoned aquarium enthusiasts adore it for its vivid colors and kind disposition.

Originating from the leisurely-paced waters of Southeast Asia, the Honey Gourami infuses a burst of color with its golden-yellow tones. This fish has a personality that belies its size, as it typically reaches only about 2 inches in length. It’s a great option for community tanks because of its reputation for peace and good behavior with other animals.

Honey gourami maintenance is comparatively simple. They like their food to be both live and flake, and they grow well in tanks with lots of plants and calm water. They don’t need a lot of room or complicated setups because of their small size and laid-back nature, which is fantastic for people who might be new to fishkeeping.

In conclusion, the little fish known as the honey gourami has a big personality. It’s a great option for a variety of aquarium setups because of its manageable size, gorgeous appearance, and tranquil nature. The Honey Gourami is a truly worthwhile addition to any aquarium, regardless of experience level or desire to add a cute new species.

Characteristic Description
Size Honey gourami typically grows up to 5 cm, making it the smallest species of the Colisa family.
Color This fish has a distinctive golden-yellow hue, often with a darker stripe running along its side.
Behavior Peaceful and shy, honey gourami prefers a calm environment with plenty of hiding spots.
Tank Requirements Aquariums of at least 20 liters with gentle filtration and low water flow are ideal for honey gourami.

The smallest fish in the Colisa family, the honey gourami, is a lovely, delicate fish that is unique in the aquarium community due to its vivid colors and small size. This little gem, which is sometimes overlooked in favor of its larger relatives, is a great choice for aquarists with smaller tanks and less experience. It stands out as a great option for creating a vibrant and eye-catching aquatic environment because of its brilliant yellow hue and serene nature.

Description

Both the atmosphere and the aquatic environment are used by gouramis to process oxygen. The Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers are the home country of the honey coliza. Shallow areas with a lot of vegetation make up the habitat. All coliza species are distinguished by the presence of two filiform ventral fins, which serve tactile purposes.

  • Unpretentious to water quality.
  • Eat any food.
  • Size up to 5 cm allows you to keep gourami in aquariums from 10 liters.
  • Easy to care for.

Appearance

On the outside, gourami resemble their fellow striped coliza and laliuses. Principal variations

  • Size no more than 5 cm. Males are smaller than females.
  • The color of honey fish ranges from yellow-brown to brick-red. The color is especially bright during the breeding season.
  • Two fins, dorsal and anal. A slanted stripe runs along the upper fin. Closer to the body, both parts of the plumage are painted in the main color of the fish. The upper part of the dorsal fin is bright neon yellow. The lower part of the anal process is darker, azure-blue or black shades.
  • The body is narrower in shape compared to other representatives of the genus Colis.
  • A stripe of a darker color runs along the middle of the body than the general color. In females, this feature is expressed more clearly.
  • Tactile fins are bright red or yellow.
  • Females are much paler than males.

Behavior

The calm disposition of red gourami sets them apart. The fish have good relationships with other aquarium animals. Aggressive behavior can occasionally be seen in behavior. This occurs when there is a lack of females or during the breeding season.

  • Movement is slow.
  • Timid nature.
  • Slowly adapt to a new environment, hide.
  • Feel better in small schools.
  • They like various shelters.

The honey gourami’s spawning is linked to another fascinating fact. The beginning of India’s rainy seasons is closely associated with the breeding cycle. Consequently, these fish may reproduce inadvertently in the aquarium if a sizable amount of cool, soft water is added.

Lifespan

When kept in captivity, honey gouramis live an average of twice as long as they do in the wild. Here, a number of factors are very important:

  • Absence of predators and competition.
  • No sudden changes in the microclimate.
  • Good nutrition.

Fish in this species typically live three to five years in the wild. The lifespan rises to 6–8 years in an aquarium.

The longevity and well-being of your honey gourami pets depend on maintaining the right conditions for their care. Although honey gourami are an unassuming fish, there are a few aspects of their breeding that you should be aware of:

  1. Aquarium capacity from 10 liters for 2 individuals. More is better.
  2. Access to air is required.
  3. Optimum water temperature is 23–25 degrees.
  4. Floating plants in the water column and covering part of the surface.
  5. Presence of snags and shelters.
  6. Honey gourami are prone to obesity.
  7. It is better to keep fish in a small school of 4-8 individuals of both sexes.

Aquarium

The size and design of the aquarium are determined by the honey gourami’s natural habitat. Containers with a width greater than the depth (height) are better suited for housing individuals of this species.

The aquarium’s fundamental parameters are:

  • Volume based on 10-12 liters per pair.
  • The width should be greater than the depth.
  • The presence of a lid is necessary to maintain the internal microclimate, since honey gourami need oxygen from the atmosphere.
  • The need for compressors depends on the number of plants.

Water parameters

The primary habitat of fish is shallow, silty areas, so they don’t care much about the quality of the water.

  • Temperature 22-27 degrees C. The fish are very sensitive to temperature changes.
  • Softness 5-15%.
  • pH within 5.9-7.4.
  • Change the water every 5-7 days at least 1/5 of the total volume of the aquarium.

Plants

The natural habitat of the honey gold gourami is an abundance of vegetation in the water. Bright, direct light does not appeal to this species. Long stemmed plants that cover the water’s surface in leaves have multiple advantageous effects at once.

  • Create diffused lighting in the aquarium.
  • Give additional shelter to the fish.
  • Maintain the desired microclimate above the surface of the artificial reservoir.

Warm water tolerance is a primary need for plants. To preserve every kind of coliza, buy:

  • Vallisneria.
  • Watercress.
  • Elodea.
  • Salvinia.
  • Peristolistnik.
  • Riccia.
  • Pistia.
  • Limnophila.

Soil

It is advised to select dark-toned soils because honey coliza has more active pigmentation in these bottom shades. The fish start to shine more.

Requirements for soil:

  • Dark or black color.
  • Small fraction.
  • Presence of humus secretions.

Equipment

The following tools are needed for honey coliza:

  1. Thermoregulator. The device will help maintain a stable microclimate.
  2. If there are enough plants, a compressor for enriching the water with oxygen is not needed. Moreover, gourami belong to the genus of double-breathing fish.
  3. A water filter for an aquarium is needed only in cases where there is no normal drinking water. In other cases, it is enough to let the liquid settle for 24 hours before pouring it into the aquarium.
  4. Every aquarist should have a set:
  1. A net for catching fish and foreign objects.
  2. A scraper for cleaning the walls of the aquarium.
  3. A hose and a container for draining water.

Lighting

Neon lights with diffused light are advised for lighting because they don’t heat the aquarium’s water or the area above it. Additionally, honey colizas cannot withstand the direct light from electrical appliances. Using a timer to connect the lighting is a recommended extra option. This will assist in establishing and maintaining the aquarium’s daily cycle while the owner is away.

Lighting the bottom is not a good idea because it could throw off the fish’s spatial orientation. It is advised to leave one side in the shade when arranging the lights on the sides.

Feeding

Honey gourami eat small insects and their larvae in their natural habitat. This kind of fish is omnivorous by nature.

Adequate for nourishment:

  • Live food compositions.
  • Dry mixtures.
  • Special flakes.
  • Frozen food.

Feeding occurs once every 12 to 24 hours. It’s important to keep in mind that these Colisa species members are prone to obesity. The fish will become sick and eventually die if they eat too much.

Compatibility

The fish have a timid and calm nature. Good honey gourami neighbors:

  • Coridos catfish.
  • Pecilia.
  • Neons.
  • Angelfish.

Colisa shouldn’t be kept in a tank with fish that are hostile or predatory:

  • Cichlids.
  • Goldfish fish.
  • Bettas.

Reproduction

Fish in aquariums procreate readily. Over time, couples and its own hierarchy form inside the microstike. The species of honey-red gourami is one of those that temporarily pairs off during the spawning season. Constant swimming together is one of the formed pair’s distinguishing characteristics.

Sexual differences

In comparison to males, females are larger and have a paler color. The fins have rounded ends.

The male has a brighter color and is smaller in size. The fins have sharp ends. The color changes during the breeding season:

  • The overall color brightness of the color increases.
  • The stripe running along the body becomes almost invisible.
  • The lower fin and head acquire a dark blue, black color.

Spawning

It is preferable to move the formed pairs into a different container for spawning. What you’ll need for such a container is:

  • Aquarium from 10 liters for one pair.
  • Water level in the container 20-25 cm.
  • The presence of broad-leaved plants is mandatory.

The male is placed in a container ready to be used for building a nest when the female starts to round out from the ripened eggs. When construction is almost finished, the woman is let out of the container. Small batches of eggs are directly fertilized at the nest.

The female is put back into the main aquarium after mating. The male stays to tend to the nest until the young begin to emerge. 24-38 hours pass between maturation and birth. The male is then put back into the main container as well. As you develop, you must:

  • Reduce the amount of water to 10-12 cm.
  • Raise the temperature to 30 degrees.
  • Set weak aeration.

You can start feeding the fry as soon as they start to swim. The following are the best food options:

  • Live dust.
  • Infusoria.
  • Mashed boiled yolk.
  • Microvit.

Diseases

The introduction of newly infected inhabitants is the primary cause of disease outbreaks in the aquarium. Those that are most typical are:

  • Velvet disease (oodiniasis) is a skin disease caused by parasitic organisms.
  • Fungal disease of rotary organs – lips in fish are inflated and stretched as for a kiss. The cause is the fungi imported from tropical reservoirs.

The key to the wellbeing of its occupants is keeping the aquarium’s atmosphere pure and hygienic. Every young fish needs to spend 20–30 days in quarantine.

Reviews

The proprietors of Honey Gours have only received good reviews. Healthy fish will only make their owners feel good if they are purchased and the confinement conditions are adhered to.

Price

The price of a single case of honey coli varies by location. primarily between 65 and 200 rubles. Despite their paler hue, female gums are always more expensive than male gums.




In conclusion, the honey gourami is a fun addition to any aquarium, especially for people who enjoy calmer, smaller fish. It is a remarkable option for both beginning and seasoned aquarists due to its compact size and vivid colors. Because of its gentle disposition, the honey gourami gets along well with a wide range of tank companions, bringing some color and peace to your underwater habitat.

The honey gourami adds a lot of personality and charm to your aquarium despite its small size. Its care requirements are simple and its laid-back temperament make it a great option for community tanks. These little fish can flourish and end up being a treasured part of your aquatic setup with the correct conditions and some care.

All things considered, the honey gourami is more than simply a little fish; it’s a lively and serene presence that improves the harmony and beauty of your aquarium. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced fish keeper, your aquatic environment will benefit from this little gem.

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Anton Popov

A professional aquarist with over 15 years of experience. Main specialization - marine aquariums and creating optimal conditions for keeping rare species of fish and corals. I am fond of aquascaping, actively participate in international competitions. I love to share knowledge and experience to help others create the beauty of the underwater world at home.

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