Chocolate gourami

Schokoladengurami ( Sphaerichthys osphromenoides )

The Schokoladengurami ( Sphaerichthys osphromenoides ( Syn: Osphromenus malayanus, Duncker, 1904) is a fish from the subordination of the labyrinth fish Its home is the southern section of the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo Its name comes from the dark brown coloration.. .

Features

The Schokoladengurami is more than 6 inches tall and has a relatively short and high, strongly laterally flattened body. The head is pointed. He is chocolate brown to reddish brown, shimmering slightly greenish in some cases. Juveniles show the body sides a clearly visible longitudinal binding. Adult animals have multiple, irregularly arranged pale yellow to whitish transverse bands. The fins are brown mottled with bright rims and often dark. The dorsal fin of the female is less undressed pointed.

• Fins formula: Dorsal VIII-XII/7-10; Anal VII-X/18-22; Pectoral 8-10; Ventral I / 5; Caudal 13
• Dandruff formula: MLR 26-30.

The second fin ray of the ventral fin is greatly extended.

Way of life

The Schokoladengurami comes in his home in ditches and ponds in very low mineral, coffee brown colored by humic water before. He thinks he's there near the shore below the protective riparian vegetation on. Aquatic plants are not to be found in its home waters. The water temperature is around 30 to 32 ° C, the pH at 5.5 to 6.5, the water hardness from 0.5 to 5 ° dH and the conductance at 15 ĩS. It feeds mainly on approach food ( small insects and arachnids that fall onto the water surface ). The Schokoladengurami is a mouth brooders. The about 80 yellowish eggs are taken from the females mouth. The fry leave the mouth after 8 to 12 days.

Aquarium maintenance

The Schokoladengurami was first introduced in 1905 for the aquarium attitude to Germany again in 1934 and 1957 in the GDR. For keeping in freshwater aquariums it is only suitable due to its demands on water quality.