Giant gourami
| Giant gourami | |
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| Adult | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anabantiformes |
| Family: | Osphronemidae |
| Genus: | Osphronemus |
| Species: | O. goramy
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| Binomial name | |
| Osphronemus goramy Lacépède , 1801 | |
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| Native range in green (widely introduced elsewhere, not shown) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The giant gourami (Osphronemus goramy) is a species of large
It is capable of breathing moist air, so can survive out of water for long periods. It is much larger than most gouramis (only the other
Distribution and habitat
The giant gourami is native to rivers, streams, marshes, swamps and lakes in Southeast Asia, from the lower
Whether deliberate or by accident, giant gouramis have been introduced widely as food fish. In Asia, this has expanded their range to include an area from southern China to India and Sri Lanka, and in other continents they are now found in Australia, Mauritius, Réunion, Madagascar and elsewhere.[10] Translocations within Southeast Asia likely started in ancient times. Even Europeans recognized its value as a food fish several hundred years ago. For example, Georges Cuvier (1769–1832) suggested that it should be introduced to the French colonies.[10]
In aquaria
 | This section contains instructions, advice, or how-to content. (December 2018) |
 | This section includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (September 2014) |
Tank specifications
The giant gourami is also popular in aquaria. Tanks commonly have dark bottoms, with densely planted edges, and room left in the center of the tank for them to swim. They prefer the company of other fish of similar sizes and temperament. They are easy to keep at three months old at around 7.5 cm or 3 in long. At this age, they have a pronounced beak. They can grow rapidly given sufficient food and space to move. Even under less than ideal conditions, gourami can grow from 7.5 cm to 50 cm in four years. At this age, in addition to the rounded face, a mature giant gourami will have begun to develop the hump just above its eyes. Taiwanese and Malaysians admired fish with protruding heads, known as 'kaloi' or 'warships', found in the western part of the nation. The slightly protruding forehead and long tail of these fish were prized in Taiwanese society as bringing luck in geomancy.
A gourami in a community tank will snap and charge any other fish which are small enough for it to bully. Like most aquarium dwellers, giant gourami can be quickly raised with larger, more passive fish. However, if other fish are added to a tank, either large or small, they might be killed within a short period.
Diet
Gourami tend towards herbivory, preferring algae-based foods, but will eat meaty foods. An algae-based flake food, along with freeze-dried bloodworms,
Breeding
The giant gourami is an egg layer and builds a nest from plant fibers. Both male and female gourami participates at building nests, though the male appears to play a more prominent role.[11] The male and female are distinguished by the dorsal fins and body color. The dorsal fin on the male ends in a point, and the body is darker changing to nearly black during spawning. After building nest the eggs will be laid before next 24 hours. When breeding, the water in the tank should be decreased to about 20 cm (8 in) deep and the temperature should be 28 °C (82 °F). After spawning, the female should be removed to a separate tank as the male will jealously guard the eggs, in a captive environment, sometimes becoming aggressive towards the female. The eggs hatch in 24 hours. They must be kept in a dark aquarium.
As food
Partly in consequence of its size, the giant gourami is a significant food fish, and in its native regions it has been harvested as a customary food source.[12] In Southeast Asian cuisine, gourami is highly valued as food due to its thick flesh, pleasant texture as well as its tasty flavour. Unlike carp and milkfish, gouramis do not have fine bones within their flesh, which render them easy to consume, thus elevate its economic value. In Southeast Asian market, gourami is one of the most highly-valued freshwater food fish. Gourami flesh is rich in protein and minerals.[13]
It is a popular food fish in Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai cuisines. Gouramis are particularly popular in Sundanese cuisine of Indonesia,[14] where they often being fried as ikan goreng, grilled as ikan bakar or cooked with spice inside a banana leaf wrap as pepes. In some parts of Southeast Asia, they are salted to preserve and prolong shelf life.
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Gurame bakar (grilled gourami) -
Live fresh gourami for sale in a supermarket in Jakarta
References
- ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-2413-6424-6.
- ^ "Gourami".
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2014). "Osphronemus goramy" in FishBase. February 2014 version.
- ^ FAO - Weed control
- ^ Dinalankara, Senura; Tharaka Sahan Chandrasiri; Dakshitha Dias; Kokila Hettiarachchi (2018). Vision Based Automated Biomass Estimation of Fronds of Salvinia molesta. University of Moratuwa.
- ^ a b Roberts, T.R. (1992). Systematic revision of the Southeast Asian anabantoid fish genus Osphronemus, with descriptions of two new species. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 2(4): 351–360
- ^ a b c Roberts, T.R. (1994). Osphronemus exodon, a new species of giant gourami with extraordinary dentition from the Mekong. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society 42(1): 67–77
- ISBN 92-5-103743-4.
- ^ a b Roberts, T.R. (1989). The freshwater fishes of Western Borneo (Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia). Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences. 14: 1–210.
- ISSN 0044-8486.
- ^ Cultured Gourami in Bogor, Indonesia
- ^ "Kandungan Protein Ikan Gurame". Neraca (in Indonesian). 7 December 2013.
- ^ "Resep Ikan Gurame".