Sensory control of mating in the blue gourami, Trichogaster trichopterus (pisces, belontiidae)

Four experiments investigated the effects of anosmia and ventral fin amputation on the mating success of pairs of blue gouramis. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the probability of mating is reduced by cauterizing the nares of both members of bisexual pairs. Combining ventral fin amputation and anosmia completely eliminated mating, although ventral fin amputation alone produced only a minimal and statistically unreliable deficit. In experiment 2, it was shown that males deprived of both the ventral fins and olfaction rarely mated. Females subjected to the same operation exhibited only a marginal deficit in mating ability. The third and fourth studies failed to confirm previous suggestions that the ventral fins play an important role in assuring the mating success of male blue gouramis. However, olfaction is suggested to be intimately involved in both breeding success and nest building.