Gouramis are extremely popular aquarium fish for their hardiness, bold colors, and ease of breeding. These are one of the most popular types of anabantoids, a type of fish that breathes air from the surface of the water, right behind the ever-popular betta, or Siamese fighting fish. Like the betta, most gouramis are very easy to breed in a home aquarium with limited knowledge or preparation, though anyone thinking about breeding should thoroughly research the care and space requirements of fry before doing so.

As far as sexing goes, there are two main categories of gourami. The first, including such popular types as the kissing gourami, is very difficult to sex. These are also much more difficult to breed than some of the other gouramis. In order to sex kissers, you'll have to rely largely on observation and comparison. You may observe two fish "kissing", these are generally two dominant fish trying to establish a pecking order, and these are often both males. Sexing by comparison is usually done by looking down at the fish from directly above. Males are generally flat-sided, while mature females will develop a slight bulge in their sides from the eggs they carry.

Golds, opalines, blues, paradises, and other such gouramis are much easier to sex. These are readily recognized and differentiated, even by the newest fishkeepers.

Females are recognized by their rounded dorsal fin. Their fin does not come to a well-defined point, giving more of a wavy U-shape to their dorsal. Additionally, their coloring is often less pronounced and mature adults are generally larger than mature adult males. Female paradise gouramis generally have grey and red coloring and are noticeably larger and longer than males.

Males have a distinct point to their dorsal fin, giving a wavy V-shape. Their fins often have speckles or additional spots. In golds, blues, and opalines, the male's body shows distinct rings around its spots. Male paradise gouramis are generally red and blue or green, rather than the duller red and grey of the females.

Before breeding, do some research on whether the particular type you want to breed does better in pairs or trios. Some gouramis should never be separated into a single female per male as the male's attentions can result in injury or death to a single female. For beginner breeders, readily-sexable types of gouramis are recommended, and many such are widely available in pet stores.

These fish will breed easily given the proper environment and, if you have enough space to handle large numbers of juvenile gouramis, can be a very rewarding breeding experience.