Gourami General description

Gourami are a relatively hardy species of freshwater aquarium fish and are thus suitable for most intermediate aquarists. There are approximately 90 species of gourami recognized a majority of which are raised in aquariums. Most have a square shaped, thin, compressed body and are characterized by two long thread-like pelvic fins.

Gourami are generally a peaceful type of fish but can turn territorial when not given adequate space. When raised in aquariums less than 30 gallons in size, they can sometimes start harassing their tank mates in an attempt to mark out their territory. It is always advisable to keep one male gourami with a few females due to the tendency of males to turn aggressive towards each other despite the size of the aquarium.

Gourami are a relatively hardy species of freshwater aquarium fish and are thus suitable for most intermediate aquarists.

Origins

Gouramis are native to parts of South and South East Asia.

Color

Various species of gouramis range in color from blue, green, yellow, gold, pink, white and red and also come multicolored varieties.

Maintenance and care

Gouramis are relatively easy to care for and will thrive in moderately soft, pH neutral water conditions. They are a species of labyrinth fish and are able to inhale surface air. For this reason, it is important that the aquarium has sufficient surface space and also that there is no great water turbulence.

Gouramiss, depending on their species, can vary in size from a few inches in length to over 24 inches. For instance, the dwarf gourami only grows to about 1.5 inches in length, whereas the giant gouramis can grow to over 2 feet in length. Thus it is important when selecting gourami for your aquarium to be aware of their growth potential. They are a relatively non-aggressive species and can co-exist with most other species of tropical fish. They do however have a tendency to start harassing and on occasion even kill smaller species like guppies and male Bettas with long flowing fins.

Feeding

Gouramis are omnivores and can easily be fed on a diet of flake or pellet based aquarium foods. They will also devour most types of worms and insect larvae.

Gourami are relatively easy to care for and will thrive in moderately soft, pH neutral water conditions.

Breeding

When breeding gourami, it is important to use a separate aquarium meant especially for this purpose. The aquarium should be dimly lit and well planted. When spawning, a male will build a bubble nests made of saliva covered bubbles. The male will often incorporate pieces of plant matter to these nests and they can sometimes cover nearly a quarter of the aquarium’s surface. Gourami spawning occurs in a characteristic “embrace” where the male wraps himself around the female, fertilizing her eggs as she releases them. Once spawning occurs, the male will then take care of the eggs and fry and it is advisable to remove the female from the breeding aquarium at this point.

Aquarium varieties

Blue Gouramis, Chocolate Gouramis, Dwarf Gouramis, Honey Gouramis, Kissing Gouramis, Pearl Gouramis, Snakeskin Gouramis, Three-spot Gouramis, Giant Gouramis, etc.

Photo credit: Gourami Watcher/Wikimedia; Matthew1968/Wikimedia