Antibiotics Fish

•             Scientific name: ColisaLalia, Trichogaster lalius

•             Common name: dwarf gourami

•             Aquarium size: Minimum 30 liters

•             Temperament: Calm, peaceful and shy

•             Temperature: 26ºC to 28ºC

•             pH: 6 to 8

•             Diet: Omnivore

•             Length: 5 to 7cm.

Description

The colisa lalia, is also known in aquariums as the dwarf gourami. It belongs to the belontidae family, like the betta or the pearl gourami.

It is a fairly peaceful, reserved and shy fish, which is why it spends much of its time hidden among plants or aquarium decorations.

Like most belontidae, it is omnivorous, originating in the eastern regions of India, like many other varieties of fish.

It is perfect to keep it in a community aquarium, as long as the rest of the species with which it shares space are also relatively calm. www.antibioticsfish.com

Morphology

The morphology of the colisa fish is very varied, it all depends on the species. In the case of the lalia colisa, its body is oval and flat, with the dorsal fins covering a large part of the back, anal area and the entire ventral part of the fish.

Its pelvic fins are modified, a characteristic of all colisa varieties. They are usually called barbels, they are tactile and are located at the base of the belly.

The head and opercula are blue-green, with metallic reflections, while the anal, dorsal and pelvic fins have intense red tones.

Sexual dimorphism

The female is smaller than the male, with duller colors and brown tones. In the male the anal fin has a pointed ending, the fins in the female are noticeably shorter.

The typical stripes that run through its body are usually longer in the male than in specimens of the opposite sex.

Other types of colisa fish

•             Colisa chuna: Of Hindu origin and with a deep love for warm waters.

•             Yellow Colisa chuna: Omnivores, they can measure up to 5 cm long.

•             Red chuna colisa: Species that inhabits Colombia and the United States

•             Colisa Azul: One of the most beautiful, 4 cm long, found in calm waters.

•             colisaFasciata: Inhabitant of the Indian areas, it reaches up to 12 cm.

•             Colisa Dwarf: With only 5 cm, its extensive mustaches stand out.

Distribution and habitat

Lalia colisas fish live naturally in swamps, lagoons, stretches of river with little or no current, and in general shallow waters where there is a lot of vegetation. Its geographical location is quite varied, but it is usually in constantly flooded areas, such as eastern India and Bangladesh.

Aquarium conditions

The ideal for colisas fish is a rectangular aquarium of 30 to 40 liters, that is, a long and wide surface with little height. Vegetation and floating plants are highly valued by this variety of fish, so it is desirable to have a well-planted aquarium.

The current in the aquarium should be reduced to a minimum, since they are calm water fish and the current can stress them out.

Regarding the physical conditions of the water:

•             The pH must be between 6 to 8

•             The hardness of the water will be perfect between 5 to 6 GH

•             On the other hand, the temperature should range between 26 to 27 degrees

Diet

The colisa fish in its different varieties do not cause problems when it comes to feeding, they are omnivorous fish well adapted to consume commercial food, such as scales, although they can also eat live food without any problem, in addition, they will help to develop a better coloration and general health status.

Behavior and compatibility

They are generally very peaceful fish, they tend more to shyness, they will not be energetic or with much movement, as well as in all families of fish, they also fight for territory, therefore, I recommend that for each group of fish colisas There is only one male to avoid confrontations, the males are much more aggressive because of what they show their hierarchy and they are not so docile to integrate them.

Reproduction

Belonging to the group of labyrinths, that is, a builder of bubble nests, the colisa fish can be reproduced in community or individual aquariums. I recommend an aquarium with at least 30 liters of water, the space should also have enough floating plants and some stone hiding places for the females.

To increase the reproductive effectiveness of the colisa fish, it is necessary to have the male and female completely separated, as well as extremely careful feeding, especially a week before reproduction. This procedure must be done so that the male recognizes his place and marks his territory, in this way he will start the construction of his bubble nest, to continue with the courtship in a somewhat aggressive way, for which it is necessary to provide hiding places for the female.

When the right moment arrives, the male fertilizes the spawn, and it will be immediately placed in the nest. Usually this will happen repeatedly, so you must be careful to remove the female, since the reproductive attack will be incessant.

Finally, you should leave the male until the fry are fit to swim, this will be approximately after the fourth day of hatching. When the male is removed, you should feed the fry from the second day with recently hatched brine shrimp and keep the water level between 2 to 5 cm.

Tips

•             The best way to keep colisa fish healthy is by understanding how their natural habitat and ecosystem works. If we can replicate it, their life expectancy will increase.

•             It is recommended to use a fish tank with a lid, better if it is airtight due to the complexity of its respiratory system.

•             Another way to keep your colisa fish healthy is by adding vegetation to their tank, but without getting in the way and hindering the space they need to swim. www.antibioticsfish.com