Gourami BubbleNest skills | helping out the male?

[webmoose]

Ok I have a new Gourami pair in one of my work tanks on my desk. I got them at the last auction on Sunday. They look great and are acting great BUT

The male is always trying to make a bubble nest. The filter seems to pull the plants apart on him and the bubbles seem to be moving to the edge. I am becoming exausted just watching him be persistent.

Is there anything I can to do help him make his life a little easier? The one good thing is that he is so busy making a nest that he tends to ignore the female for the most part.

Any experience / suggestions / comments are appreciated.

Thanks,

The Moose Man

 

[Fluff]

This may sound silly and I can't remember where I read it but don't some people use rings of styrofoam to help bubblenest builders? The ring holds in the bubbles. Like the ring off the top of a cup.

 

[BrianNY]

Gouramis breath air Moose. Thus you don't need any surface agitation. Are you interested in spawning or do you just think the male is struggling?

If you want to try spawning give the male his own tank with some floating plants. When he completes the nest add the female. Remove the female when spawning is finished or the male might kill her.

 

[Toirtis]

Personally, I like using riccia, but the side of a styro cup works great, as does that styro net you get around apple-pears.

 

[webmoose]

Thanks for all the replies! I have no intention of breeding them I just feel bad that the male is putting so much effort into making a nest and it keeps breaking up on him.

The two fish are from Toirtis from the auction and they are really really good looking. The female is showing reallly nice pink coloring and the male is just amazing. The male color's remind me of a discus..

I will have to remember to buy some NLS food thru Toirtis.... I missed it being auctioned off as I was whipping up snacks when it was sold.

Thanks Toirtis for the great fish!!!!

Moose

 

[Toirtis]

You are welcome...glad that they are doing well for you. The NLS I get from Neil ( http://www.Cichlid-Food-Canada.com/ ), but I can probably pick you up a jar when I go to the Edmonton auction.