Gourami Courting Behavior

[HanshaSuro]

I was watching my gouramis (Colisa labiosa) tonight after the tank lights went out (I know, I feel dirty) and I noticed them sidling up next to each other and almost rubbing the length of their bodies together.

I am not certain if I have a mated pair or not, but this makes me think that I do. I have not seen a bubblenest in the tank, so I don't expect that they are committed to reproducing quite yet.

My question is, does anyone know if this close contact is a courting behavior?

 

[Colisa lalia]

If it is close bonding between gouramis of opposite sex than it is most certainly courting behavior. I have found larger gouramis to form very permanent bonds while smaller gouramis will breed with anyone.

 

[HanshaSuro]

That's the thing that confused me. As far as my sexing abilities go, I could swear that both of these are female. Neither one has the elongated dorsal fin towards the tail that most male gourami develop.

 

[marks69]

yep, their both female.i have a male and female that won't even look at each other.i had 2 females, and he liked the other one, but she died for no reason we could figure out.
my 3 opaline females dance like this all the time, i think their just making friends.
gll
mark

 

[HanshaSuro]

They chase each other like cops and robbers when there's food involved, but when the lights go out, they're pretty friendly.

Thanks Mark.

I guess I have to decide if I want to try to find a male or not

 

[Velvet AciD]

What other fish are sharing space with them?

 

[HanshaSuro]

8 harlequin rasboras