The Gouramis

by Jennifer Wilkinson, CAS

originally published in The Calquarium Volume 41, Number 11, July 1999

Trichogaster leeri

The pearl gourami is one of the most beautiful of all the gouramis. The female can reach a total length of 10cm, while the males can reach a total length of 12cm. Older males have a longer pointed dorsal fin and sometimes have lengthened rays on the anal fin. The body and unpaired fins of both sexes have beautiful mosaic pearls that shine in the aquarium lights. The males when in full color display bright orange to deep red on the throat and breast area.

They come from South Borneo, Sumatra, and from the south of the Malay Peninsula. These gouramis prefer the shallow, warm, and overgrown parts of standing or slowly flowing waters.

The pearl gourami is a very peaceful fish, making it easy to keep. The water should be fairly soft and the temperature 27C. They prefer a medium-sized to large aquarium that is well planted. They are good in a quiet community tank. I am currently housing three in a 240-liter community which consists of three flying fox, six scissor-tailed rasboras, six red tail rasboras, seven harlequin rasboras, a pair of America flag fish, and one porthole live bearer. They seem to eat anything that I feed, however they seem to have a preference for green flakes and Grindal worms. They eat mostly at the top of the aquarium but have been seen eating off the bottom as well.

Breeding the pearl gourami relatively easy. The breeding aquarium should be 80 cm in length or larger, with some floating and anchored plants. The aquarium should be filled about half full with no air or filtration. The temperature should be 29C. The male begins by making a small bubble nest that he enlarges over time. When the female is ready to spawn, she forces herself into the flank of the male until he wraps himself around her. The female is turned upside down and the eggs are released. The male then chases the female away and begins collecting the eggs that are floating up toward the bubble nest. As many as 2000 eggs can be laid in one spawn. When the fry become free swimming the male should be removed from the aquarium. The female should be removed right after spawning.

The snake-skin gourami has a grayish or yellowish color with vertical lines or bands running down the body. Males get to a total length of 20 cm, while the females only reach a total length of 18 cm. The males have a distinctly longer dorsal fin.

The original range of these fish is limited to the lowlands crossed by the lower courses of the Menam and Mekong rivers. As a food fish they were introduced into other areas.

These gouramis should be housed in a 185-liter aquarium or larger. They are quite peaceful for their size but I would not include them in a community with small fish. They like a well-planted aquarium, with a temperature of 25C, with no special water requirements. These fish will eat anything.

Breeding these fish is quite easily accomplished. Put a pair in a large aquarium with plants, no filtration or aeration and leave undisturbed for a few days. The temperature should be 29C. The males are bubble nest builders. They are productive spawners, laying 3000 to 5000 eggs per spawn.

I have chosen not to keep this gourami because of its size.

The moonlight gouramis are a silverish color, sometimes with a bluish shimmer. The male has orange pelvic thread-fins while the females are clear or sometimes yellowish. The male’s dorsal fin is usually broader and longer. They usually have a black spot on the end of the tail, just before the tail fill begins. The total length of the male is 18 cm while the female only gets a total length of 15 cm.

They come from Cambodia and central Thailand, where they inhabit standing or slowly flowing heavily planted waters. This is a food fish in its native land.

Although they are a rather large fish, they can go in a large community aquarium. They look best with other colorful fish. They will eat dry and live foods with out a problem. They don’t have any special water requirements.

The moonlight gouramis are moderately easy to breed, meaning they are not as easy as some, but they are possible to spawn in the aquarium. Set up a well-conditioned pair in an aquarium of at least 80cm length. The tank should be well planted and include floating plants as well. The male will build a large plant and bubble nest. The males can be very aggressive, so they must be watched to make sure the female doesn’t get to beat up. They spawn under the bubble nest, with the eggs floating up to the nest. These fish often have very large spawns. The female should be removed right after spawning, the male should be removed when the fry go free swimming.

Although these fish are quite peaceful, except at breeding time, they still get quite large. I don’t think I will include them in my community aquaria.