# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Anabantoids >  Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia)

## CK Yeo

Common rather fish. Anyone seen the female fish around? Or they are reproducing it without sex already?  :Razz:  




ck

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## CK Yeo

:Jump for joy:  
sigh.... so common yet, so rare. The female of the species that is...

ck

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## hwchoy

but your fish is a line bred variant, the wild ones have thin bars.

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## CK Yeo

Even so, the female must exist right?

ck

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## Justikanz

The _Colisa lalia_ is a pretty fish, line bred or natural colouration... But they are extremely territorial... Females are plain silver... And probably that's the primary reason why they were never released for sale... And also, rumours have it that the farms do not want the hobbyists to start breeding this fish... Apparently, breeding them is easy work enough for the hobbyists to do so once they have the females.

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## [email protected]

There was one time in mid-2005 that I saw Xian Leng Aquarium (Shah Alam, Selangor) selling female dwarf gouramis. There were plenty of it in a 3 feet tank. If not mistaken, it was going for MYR1+ per piece.

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## CK Yeo

Thanks for the info Alan. But Selangor is a bit far away.

For me, what makes this hobby fun is that we can get a pair of fish and watch them go through their lifecycle of spawning and raising the fries. I think Betta, Apisto, Killies fanatics will attest to this.

I know this fish is common and cheap and an in-bred variant. But it is no less stunning, colourful or interesting than the expensive, rare fishes.  :Smile:  Maybe if this was a new species/variant discovered and selling for lots of $, people will not overlook it.

I heard that the LFS in the western parts of the world sell these fishes as pairs. Can anyone confirm this?

ck

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## MrTree

For the common variant, plenty females sold here too. But can't find female for the totally blueish one.

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## spilopterus

I've bought the females before. Sometimes, it might help if you ask the LFS owner to help you order some. They pop out sporadically so grab them all when you can. What I heard is that they normally use the females to feed the arrowana.

Nonetheless, it seems females do not live that long. But I have had the fortunate chance to see them breed. It's quite a lovely sight. Do try having some greenwater around. Apparently it's good for the fries. I never succeeded in raising any.

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## lwm999

Side track a bit: Pearl Gourami is also beautiful. Easy to get a pair and get them in "actions"  :Grin:

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## CacaManiac

dudes i asked the lfs near my place... he said he can get females

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## greenD

Hey guys, i know this thread has been cold for a while, but i am still looking for female colisa lalia. If anyone here in Singapore knows where i can find them let me know!

Thanks!

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## CK Yeo

oh. I eventually found the female fish in a feeder supply shop in Lim Chu Kang (LCK). Comes in one big bag lots.

ck

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## greenD

cool, thanks a lot for that. now i'll have to get someone to drive me all the way there :Grin:

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## greenD

I finally found some females and the male has already begun building a bubble nest! I went all the way to LCK and after going through a number of fish farms, most of them selling arowanas, i found one small farm with a number of females and other labyrinth fish. :Smug:

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## benny

Where did you manage to find it? Females are indeed a rarity!

Cheers,

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## greenD

I can't remember the name of the fish farm, but it was along Neo Tiew Road in Lim Chu Kang. But i also saw a lot of females last week end at Qian Hu in Choa Chui Kang (CCK). Those ones didnt look too healthy though.

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## blhok

I can confirm that I have just bought a pair of Dwarf Gouriami's in Suffolk, UK, they only sell them in pairs

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## Jungle-mania

There are tons of them at Sam's aquarium at loyang point.

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## CK Yeo

Is this closer to the wild colouration?



I thought this is one of the better specimens I see in LFS lately. The colours are vivid, the fins are full. Horny too!  :Kiss:  

ck

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## Don90

Wow, where did you get them from??!! and which one is the female??

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## CK Yeo

Y618 a few weeks back. No females in the picture. These are 2 males flaring at each other. I have seen the females on sale in the new shop in TPY69 though.

ck

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## benny

I must agree that the fins on this is spectacular!

Excellent picture!

Cheers,

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## lorba

One of my favour fish when i first started, seems to have forgotten about them. Gotta go grab a few pcs !

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