Thick-lipped gourami (Colisa labiosa) Information

Thick lipped gourami

The thick-lipped gourami Trichogaster labiosa (also known as Colisa labiosa) is a small freshwater fish of the gourami family Osphronemidae and like other members of this group is noted for being able to breathe air using its labyrinth organ. It reaches a maximum length of 9 cm and is sexually dimorphic, the female being silvery but the male marked with oblique, thin red and blue strips along its flanks. The thick-lipped gourami is a popular aquarium fish.

Colisa labiosa

 image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Colisa_labiosa_m.jpg

Distribution

This fish originates from south Myanmar in the tropics. It has also been introduced into Colombia.

Reproduction

Like most other gouramis, the thick-lipped gourami builds a bubble nest into which the eggs are placed. The male guards the eggs but ignores the fry.

In the aquarium

This fish is widely transported around the world for the aquarium fish industry. Thick-lipped gouramis are generally peaceful, easy to keep fish well suited to the tropical community aquarium. Like other Trichogaster species, it tends to be a bit shy and would appreciate plant life to hide under if it feels threatened. They eat a variety of foods including flake, bloodworms, and brine shrimp. These fish should not be maintained with fish such as barbs or their thread-like ventral fins may be nipped to stumps. C. labiosus is one of the easiest species of gourami to breed. The male likes to build bubble nests and is not as likely as other species to bully the female if the female is not yet ready to spawn.

The thick-lipped gourami has been deliberately crossbred with the Indian gourami and the dwarf gourami to produce hydrids with new colour patters; these colours include: gold, red and green. The red hybrid is called the "robin gourami".