If you’re considering adding gourami to your fish tank, it’s important to know the difference between male and female gouramis. This way, you can ensure that you are selecting the correct gender for your tank.
In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between male and female gouramis so that you can make an informed decision when adding one of these beautiful fish to your tank.
Understanding Gourami Fish
Gourami fish are an attractive addition to any large tank. This is because they have beautiful colors that change when they are in different types of environments or moods.
For example, the blue gourami’s scales will turn bright blue when it is happy and excited, while the orange variety will display a stunning reddish-orange color when breeding. Female gourami fish are brownish in color, except during breeding season when they display bright orange bellies.
Males are smaller than females and have longer fins, but the most obvious difference between genders is the genital organ located at the base of their tails.
The Difference Between Male and Female Gourami Fish
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to tell the difference between male and female gourami fish is to look at their tails. The genitals of male gouramis are located at the base of the tail just above the anal fin, while females do not have any visible organs at all.
Gourami fish can also be sexed by placing them side by side. Males will display vivid colors, while females are duller in color.
Another way to tell if your fish is male or female is to observe their behavior. Male gourami fish often flare out the dorsal fin when they see another male, which makes them appear larger than they actually are. They sometimes also try to fight with other male gouramis.
Female gourami fish are less aggressive than their male counterparts, but if they see another female, they may flare out their dorsal fins to appear larger than they actually are. Their tails will also turn bright red. This is the best way to differentiate between genders during mating season when males display brighter colors and females turn red when they are trying to defend their eggs.
What Do You Think?
Did you know the differences between male and female gourami fish? If you have any comments or questions about how to tell if a gourami is male or female, please let us know in the section below, and we’ll answer them for you.