Family: Osphronemidae
Distribution: Colisa chuna, known commonly as Honey Gourami, is an Asian freshwater species found mostly in pools, ponds and inundated fields. It is distributed in the rivers and lakes of India and Bangladesh.
PH: 6.0 – 8.0
Temperature: 22°C – 28°C (72 – 82F)
Hardness: 5 – 19 dH
Description: Colisa chuna fish usually reach a maximum length of around 7 cm. This species has an honey-yellow base colour with a silver touch that becomes more prominent near the belly. It has a dark brown band that stretches from its eye to the beginning of the caudal fin; the ventral fin is orange; the anal fin has a reddish colour at its tip. The only real difference between this species and Colisa lalia is the Honey Gourami is slightly slimmer.
Diet: Colisa chuna are relatively unfussy when it comes to feeding. You can give this species a typical diet of fish flakes, worms and granules. You can also feed it insects and crustaceans on special occasions.
Breeding: This species can breed prolifically in a tank environment. The male creates a nest – combining bubbles with plants – before courting the female. She will release the eggs inside the next, where the male will fertilise between 300 – 800 eggs. Make sure you take the female from the tank as soon as the eggs are released, as the male is the sole carer of the eggs until hatching. Funnily enough, the male will be tempted to eat the young as soon as they have hatched – after caring for them during the egg phase – so remove him as soon as the fry are out in the open.
Comments: Colisa chuna will reside in the top side of your aquarium, so leave some ventilation holes at the top of your tank for it to breathe at the surface. You should put rooted – and floating – plants in your tank, while providing shelter in the form of rocks and roots. Your tank should be at least 75 cm long to allow this species plenty of swimming space. This fish is quite easy to maintain and is suitable for beginners.
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Recommended Compatible Species: They will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio) and also many Killifish make great tank mates.
Originally posted 2010-01-05 20:54:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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