Snakeskin gourami

Taxobox
name = Snakeskin Gourami
status = LC


image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Perciformes
familia = Osphronemidae
subfamilia = Luciocephalinae
genus = "Trichogaster"
species = "T. pectoralis"
binomial = "Trichopodus pectoralis"
binomial_authority = (Regan, 1910)
synonyms = "Trichopodus pectoralis" Regan, 1910

The snakeskin gourami or Siamese gourami is a species of gourami that is important both as a food fish and as an aquarium fish.

Physical characteristics

The snakeskin gourami is an elongated, moderately compressed fish with a small dorsal fin. Its anal fin is nearly the length of the body and the pelvic fins are long and thread-like. The back is olive in color and the flanks are greenish gray with a silver iridescence. An obvious, irregular black band extends from the snout, through the eye, and to the caudal peduncle. The underparts are white. The rear part of the body may be marked with faint transverse stripes. The fins are also gray-green, and the iris of the eye may be amber under favorable water conditions. The dorsal fins of male fish are pointed and the pelvic fins are orange to red. The males are also slimmer than the less colorful females. Juvenile snakeskin gouramies have strikingly strong zig-zag lines from the eye to the base of the tail.

Siamese gourami can grow up to 10 inches (25 cm) in length. However, they do not usually reach more than 6 in 15 cm in captivity. [* [http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Trichogaster_pectoralis.html Butler, Rhett Ayers, Tropical Freshwater Aquarium Fish (TFAF), 1995 and Mongabay.com Website, 2002] ]

Origin and habitat

They are common in the Mekong and Chao Phraya basin of Cambodia, Thailand, Southern Vietnam, and Laos.FishBase species|genus=Trichogaster|species=pectoralis|year=2007|month=May] They have also been introduced in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, and New Caledonia. [citeweb|url=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Introductions/IntroductionsList.cfm?ID=499&GenusName=Trichogaster&SpeciesName=pectoralis&fc=429&StockCode=515|title=Introductions of "Trichogaster pectoralis"|date=2006-12-01|last=Agbayani|first=Eli|accessdate=2007-05-19] In the Philippines, they are commonly found in Lake Bombon in Taal, from Lake Mainit in Mindanao, in Laguna de Bay and Lake Buluan.

Snakeskin gourami are found in rice paddies, shallow ponds, and swamps in Southeast Asia. They are found in shallow, sluggish, or standing water habitats with a lot of aquatic vegetation. It also occurs in flooded forests of the lower Mekong, and gradually moves back to rivers as floodwaters recede.

Ecology

Snakeskin gourami generally feed on aquatic plants. Like other labyrinth fish, it can breathe air directly, as well as absorb oxygen from water through its gills.

Relationship to humans

Compared to other gourami, snakeskin gouramies are not as frequently imported because these species are eaten in their native lands. The snakeskin gourami is a highly economic species that is captured and cultured for food and for export for the aquarium trade. It is one of the five most important aquacultured freshwater species in Thailand. [cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/fi/website/FIRetrieveAction.do?dom=countrysector&xml=naso_thailand.xml|title=National Aquaculture Sector Overview - Thailand|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations] It The flesh is of good quality, and may be grilled or used for fish soup. In Thailand, there is a trade of dried snakeskin gourami for the benefit of people in areas where it is not caught.

In the aquarium

"Trichogaster pectoralis" are a hardy species recommended for a beginner in the fishkeeping hobby because, despite growing to a relatively large size, they are peaceful fish that can be kept in a community tank.cite book|title=Exotic Tropical Fishes|last=Axelrod|first=Herbert R.|authorlink=Herbert R. Axelrod|coauthors=Emmens, C.; Burgess, W.;Pronek, N.|publisher=T.F.H. Publications|year=1996|isbn=0-87666-543-1] They can be mixed with barbs, danios, tetras, "Corydoras", angelfish, loaches, Loricariids and other gourami.

A snakeskin gourami is a bottom and middle tank level dweller. It requires a 24-inch (61 cm) length aquarium. A 10 or 20 gallon (38 to 76 liter) tank is sufficient for a fish of 4 inches (10 cm) length. A larger specimen should be kept in a 32-inch (81 cm) or 30 gallon (114 liter) tank. The recommended pH is 5.8 to 8.5 with a water hardness of 2 to 30 dH and a temperature of 72 to 86°F (22-30°C). A snakeskin gourami can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) in captivity and its spawns are also unusually large.

Snakeskin gouramies, being omnivores, eat live food such as "Tubifex" worms, insects, insect larvae and crustaceans. They also consume flakes, pellets, chopped spinach and lettuce. They are not picky and will accept any food offered.

Breeding snakeskin gourami is not difficult. They will breed when they reach 5 inches (12.5 cm) length. It is the most prolific among all the gourami species. There can be as many as 5,000 fry from a single spawning period. The males are relatively nonaggressive, even at spawning times, which is unlike other labyrinth fishes. The parents will also not eat the fry. Fry can be raised by feeding progressively larger flake foods, in accordance with the size of the fry; of course, occasionally feedings of live foods such as newly hatched brine shrimp are a welcome change in their diet. During breeding, like some of other labyrinth species, snakeskin gouramies are observed to vocalize sounds described as croaking, growling or cracking tones, to demonstrate territorial behavior.

References

External links and further readings

*cite web|url=http://www.oceansatlas.org/unatlas_gifs/offsiteframe.jsp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fao.org%2Ffigis%2Fservlet%2FFiRefServlet%3Fds%3Dspecies%26fid%3D3321&ctn=figis3441&kot=web-sites|title=Species Fact Sheet|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
*citation|url=http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/preview/7221979|title=An Ethological Study of the Snakeskin Gourami, "Trichogaster pectoralis", with Comments on Phylogenetic Relationships Among Species of "Trichogaster" (Pisces, Belontiidae)|first=Henry Welborn|last=Robison|year=1971
*cite web|url=http://www.pesticideinfo.org/List_AquireAll.jsp?Species=2243&Effect=|title=Snake-skinned gourami (Trichogaster pectoralis) Chemical Toxicity|first=S.|last=Kegley|coauthors=Hill, B.; Orme, S.|publisher=PAN Pesticide Database, Pesticide Action Network, North America (San Francisco, CA. 2007), http:www.pesticideinfo.org
*cite journal|url=http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FAGS%2FAGS138_01%2FS0021859601001642a.pdf&code=ff7133e71d2f5703d990e75cf703ee45|title=Effect of fish on the yield and yield components of rice in integrated concurrent rice–fish systems|journal=Journal of Agricultural Science|year=2002|volume=138|pages=63–71|first=N.|last=Vromant|coauthors=Duong, L. T.; Ollevier, F.|format=PDF