Three Stripes and it Croaks by BERNARD HARRIGAN

he Three-stripe , Trichopis Schalleri breed in typical bubblenest schalleri, is a scarce little gourami that was fashion. The male builds a tiny nest, usually under Tonce thought to be a subspecies of T a leaf. The egg-laden female will swim in front of vittatus, the Croaking Gourami. Although it has the male and wait for his embrace. The male wraps been in the hobby his body around the since the early 60s, female, tightly it is the least known C hugging her, Dl and hardest to find squeezing her, and c'.. of the "Croaking "croaking"until she 3 Gourami Group," drops her packet of consisting of T eggs. She seems to schalleri, the be in an enraptured aforementioned T state of immobility vittatus, and Al as she drifts down ("Anabantoid to the bottom. The Man") Priest's male quickly personal favorite, retrieves the eggs T. pumila, the and deposits them Sparkling Gourami. into the bubblenest. (A I wrote a Croaking noises wonderful article can be heard on them in the throughout this January 2003 courtship. edition of Modem Before the Aquarium.) All end ofthe next day, three of these the fry will hatch species could be schaller; - The Three-stripe Gourami out. Around 72 (but shouldn't be) draWing by Bernard Harrigan hours after that, cross-bred. their yolk sac is From the Mekong Basin region in depleted, they are hungry, and looking for food. , they can be found swimming in At this point, the parents can be removed, since marshes, swamps, and rice fields. Its maximum they have stopped looking after their young and size is around 2.S inches. T schalleri has a subtle their presence will only tax the quality ofthe water. beauty with a basic tan body and darker stripes The mouths ofthe babies are so small that going horizontally from the eye to the caudal only the tiniest of foods (green water, infusoria, peduncle. The dorsal, caudal, and anal fins are plankton, etc.) can be eaten. Make sure cultures trimmed in red with numerous shimmering baby are already established at this point. If not, blue spots. As compared with the female, the fins hopefully the aquarium has enough plants to of the male are generally longer with flowing provide the amount of microfauna needed. The extensions. Only in a well planted tank will they addition of Java Moss taken from another tank feel comfortable enough to fully color up and show could insure their survival. Make sure you have off. your hatchery going, because three They can be kept in a small tank, Sv, or days after they are free-swimming, the fry are 10 gallon, with a pH of 6.7, soft to medium ready for artemia nauplii. hardness (hard water is a no-no), and a temperature Although T schalleri is not a fish for a range of 72° to 82°F. Although more sensitive beginner, there's no reason why anyone in the club than its two cousins, T schalleri is not a difficult who practices good aquarium husbandry couldn't fish to keep, but it's a fish that will not tolerate keep and hopefully spawn this elusive Asian neglect. gem. Breeding is generally triggered by feeding generously with live food, especially mosquito larvae. Lower the water level to about six inches, soften the water, and raise the temperature to 86°F.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2005 S