Elephant ear gourami facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elephant ear gourami |
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The elephant ear gourami (Osphronemus exodon) is a really big type of gourami fish. It lives naturally in the Mekong River, which flows through countries like Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. This fish gets its name because its fins can look a bit like an elephant's ears!
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Where Elephant Ear Gouramis Live
Elephant ear gouramis are found in the Mekong River basin. This huge river system runs through several countries in Southeast Asia. You can find these fish in the middle parts of the Mekong, especially in places like central Cambodia and northern Laos.
These fish are super smart about their homes! When the wet season comes and the rivers overflow, they swim into flooded forests and open floodplains. It's like their temporary swimming pool! But when the dry season arrives, and water levels drop, they move back into the main river and other lasting water spots. Their trips depend on how much water is around.
What Elephant Ear Gouramis Look Like
These amazing fish can grow quite large, up to about 60 centimeters (that's almost two feet long!). Just like some other fish in their family, young elephant ear gouramis look different from the adults.
When they are young, they have cool stripes on their bodies, usually six or seven of them. They also have a dark spot on their back. As they get older, these stripes and the spot slowly disappear. When a young fish grows to about 10 centimeters long, a bright red-orange stripe starts to show up around the bottom of its head. Adult elephant ear gouramis usually have pale fins and a darker, blackish body.
Protecting Elephant Ear Gouramis
Sadly, the elephant ear gourami is listed as "vulnerable" by the IUCN. This means their numbers are going down, and they might be in danger. One big reason for this is the dams built on the Mekong River. These dams change the natural wet and dry seasons that the fish rely on. When the water levels don't change as they should, it makes it harder for the gouramis to find food and places to live and reproduce.
How Elephant Ear Gouramis Have Babies
When it's time to have babies, adult elephant ear gouramis look for calm, still waters. They are very caring parents! They build special nests using leaves and roots. Once the eggs are laid in the nest, one of the parents stays behind to guard it and keep the eggs safe until they hatch.
