Chocolate Gourami 3.5cm

Chocolate Gourami 

Gourami is often overlooked because they are considered beginner fish, because of this the chocolate gourami is overshadowed by the more common species like opaline and pearl gourami. This particular species is very different from another gourami because of its more natural colours whilst also being a fairly difficult fish to care for due to them being wild-caught and shy. Chocolate gourami however makes a great species to keep for more experienced aquarium hobbyists or for aquarists looking to simply keep a unique fish. Chocolate gourami simply glides through the water and have this elegance to them, they are so distantly different from most aquarium fish in this hobby with their oval shape and muted colours.  They are also a fairly small fish only reaching a maximum size of 6cm and are a very peaceful fish.  

Chocolate gourami is wild-caught from locations in southeast Asia such as Sumatra and Borneo, they get their name from the chocolate brown base colour they have however depending on factors like mood and environment this can be near black. They also have a simple yet contrasting irregular striping of muted yellow which transitions to orange near the tail. They also have a very unique laterally compressed and oval shape with small mouths and large eyes that gives the chocolate gourami a comical look but their movement in the water is so graceful and really shows off their simple elegance. Being tropical fish, they thrive in a temperature range from 24-28 degrees. Chocolate gourami also comes from locations where the PH is very acidic so the recommended PH range would be anything from 4.5-to 6.0, this can be easily maintained through aquarium-safe botanicals and hardscape selection such as driftwood.  

Chocolate gourami would be the perfect fish to add to a very slow-paced nano community aquarium but would thrive and show off incredibly in a dedicated blackwater aquarium. Breeding the chocolate gourami is possible however is a very difficult process because these fish do breed through specific environmental queues and are mouth-brooding fish. Males are usually more vibrant in colours however there are no obvious dimorphic factors in males and females.  

Tank Recommendations for your Chocolate Gourami

Because the chocolate gourami is a small and slow-moving fish often simply hanging around floating plants and hardscape, they can be kept in smaller aquariums with the minimum being a tank of 35 liters. This allows enough room for a small group of chocolate gourami however it would be ideal to keep them in a larger tank. Because they are slow-moving it is best to avoid filtration methods that have high flow, recommended options would be a sponge or hang-on back filters. 

The chocolate gourami will love a densely planted tank as they are very shy fish that will take a lot of time to get used to the typical aquarium's settings. Using low-powered light and dark hardscape elements like driftwood and dragon stone would be recommended. Adding in botanicals to keep the lower PH is also best with options including Indian almond leaves, walnut shells, lotus pods, and similar items. Alternatively keeping a small bag of peat moss or coco fiber in the filter is a great option. 

Suitable Tank Buddies

Chocolate gourami is a very peaceful fish that will often get outcompeted by tank mates. They are top-dwelling fish meaning that they can be kept with equally slow-moving fish that hang out in the mid or lower portions of the tank. 

Usually Compatible

Khuli loaches, snails, pygmy Corydoras, neon tetras, celestial pearl danios, and similar slow species. 

Sometime Compatible

Bettas, zebra danios, endlers, harlequin rasboras, and dwarf cichlids. 

Rarely Compatible 

Congo tetras, dwarf African cichlids, shrimp, and aggressive or fast fish that will outcompete the chocolate gourami. 

Feeding your Chocolate Gourami
As chocolate gourami are wild-caught, they may take some time to get accustomed to common aquarium foods however with some care and variety in feeding they should be easily weaned to prepared aquarium foods. When they are first introduced it is best to breed moving foods like Grindal worms, live black worms, and baby brine shrimp. Once they are comfortable eating on a consistent basis they can be transitioned to frozen foods and finally a prepared staple like a micro floating pellet or crushed flakes.