Figure 4. - Weight of females and number of larvae produced (modified from Degani 1989).
There are many reports in the literature of females spawning several times during a season in the wild (Pollak et al. 1978). However experiments by Pollak et al. 1981 and personal experience suggests that multiple matings can take place. Egg production in Trichogaster Trichopterus is prodigious and probably does not severely limit the frequency of mating. Both males and females are clearly capable of mating with as little as 24 hours separating successive spawning (Pollak et al. 1981). Commercial farms will condition and spawn gouramis every two to six weeks depending upon the species. Females have been observed spawning twice in a 24 to 78 hour period (Pollak et al. 1981). In addition females have also been observed releasing large numbers of unfertilized eggs. Rather than representing a conditioned of heightened spawning readiness, spontaneous egg release is more likely a method of rapidly eliminating over ripened eggs from the ovaries (Pollak et al. 1978). This can be associated with large numbers of oil droplets on the waters surface.