Gourami species range in size from around 8 cm (3”) for dwarf species, to 50 cm (19.6”) for wild giant species. While the giant gourami is suitable for only commercial-sized tanks, the wide variety of other gourami species means you should be able to find a suitable gourami for just about any home freshwater aquarium set up.
Gourami Care
There is a bit of a misconception regarding freshwater fish in the belief that spectacular colour denotes high maintenance fish. However, gouramis are generally a fairly hardy and low maintenance fish. That said, there are a few things you will need to be aware of before adding a gourami to your home aquarium. Pick your tank mates carefully, check compatibility between large male gouramis and, as always, ensure your tank setup is at a compatible condition.
Some of our most popular species include the Three Spot Blue Gourami, Gold Gourami, Lace Pearl Gourami, Male Dwarf Gourami, Opaline Gourami and the Pink Kissing Gourami with it's unique 'kissing' behaviour which is thought to be harmless territory-challenging behavior that generally occurs between two males. All of these varieties and more are available through our online fish shop.
Natural Habitat
Gouramis hail from eastern and southern Asia, from Pakistan through Thailand, Vietnam, China and parts of Korea and Japan. As they have been bred in captivity for such a long time, gouramis have evolved a tolerance for water temperature and conditioning that varies greatly from their more tropical roots, but typically enjoy low water movement aquariums.
Behavior/Compatibility for Gouramis
While dwarf species are generally more docile and should be kept in pairs or more, mid-sized male gouramis may attack each other and should be chosen particularly carefully if you wish to house more than one male. Dwarf and mid-sized male gouramis should similarly only be mixed with extreme care. Females tend to be a lot more relaxed, though they do feature less vibrant colours.
All gouramis do best with docile tank mates such as corydoras catfish, danios, swordtails and peaceful barbs. Fin nippers should be avoided as gouramis are not great at establishing dominance.
Housing gouramis and Aquarium Fish Tank Set-up Tips
Tank
Tank size will depend on your chosen gourami species, but in the interest of brevity, we will divide this information between gouramis and dwarf gouramis. As always, check out our individual species pages for more information and check with one of our expert staff if you are unsure. Dwarf gourami such as Gold Honey Dwarf Gouramis, Coral Blue Dwarf Gouramis, or the Dwarf Neon Gourami do best in small schools of two or more and can be housed in aquariums as small as 40 litres (10 gallons).
Recommended Max Fish Count Tank Volume 2 Dwarf Gouramis 40 Litres (10 gallons) 4 Dwarf Gouramis 52 Litres (14 gallons) 6 Dwarf Gouramis 60 Litres (16 gallons) 8 Dwarf Gouramis 75 Litres (20 gallons) Base
Your choice of substrate should not impact dwarf gouramis in any meaningful way, though larger gouramis tend to prefer a sand substrate.
Foliage
If you plan on housing two or male mid-sized gouramis you will need to heavily decorate your aquarium with aquarium supplies such as plants, driftwood and rocks. Otherwise, you may decorate in a more aesthetic approach if you wish. That said, we would recommend not going too sparse in decorations when housing gouramis. As for plants, gouramis are not particularly picky, though drifting and floating plants may be a good idea.
Water
Gouramis are very adaptable, so you should focus more on the needs of your gourami’s other more sensitive tank mates first. However, you should always strive for optimal water parameters where possible. Gouramis enjoy temperatures of around 25 degrees C (78 F) but are more than happy with temperatures between 22 to 28 C (72 - 82 F). Depending on your local climate, you may need to install a water heater to ensure the temperature stays within this range.
You should aim for a Ph of 6-8 and a hardness of 10-20 DGH. To ensure your pH and hardness are suitable you should invest in a testing kit. A slow to moderate water flow suits them well, and the water should be aerated with a fish tank pump.
Always ensure your water is properly filtered, and regularly change the water (10% weekly or 25% every other week). You should also filter the substrate regularly and adjust the chemistry of any tap water you use to top your tank. You may do this with one of our many water conditioning products.
Larger gourami such as Blue Three Spot Gouramis, Gold Gouramis, Lace Pearl Gouramis, and Opaline Gouramis may be kept in breeding pairs, but males should only be combined in large, heavily decorated aquariums. Typically, one mid-sized male gourami should be adequate for most aquariums. These gouramis require a minimum of 75 Litre (20 gallons) aquariums.
| Recommended Max Fish Count | Tank Volume |
| 1-3 Gouramis | 75 Litres (20 gallons) |
| 4 Gouramis | 80 Litres (22 gallons) |
| 6 Gouramis | 110 Litres (30 gallons) |
| 8 Gouramis | 150 Litres (40 gallons) |
Feeding and Care
Gouramis are not picky eaters and will happily take just about anything you offer. They are omnivorous in the wild and should have this represented in their home diet. Most professionally produced fish flake brands consider this omnivorous diet and are very suitable for gouramis. Floating or slow sinking foods are best, and should also be bolstered by the occasional live feeding such as brine shrimp or bloodworms. Please see our wide selection of fish food options to find something suitable for your preferred species.
Great reasons to keep Gouramis in your tropical fish tank
- • Gouramis are beautiful fish that feature splendid colours and signature pelvic fins.
- • These cool fishes generally get along well with other fish, though not always with their own kind.
- • They make the perfect centrepiece for small to mid-sized aquariums, and usually don’t mind doing that job on their own.
Gouramis can be the best fish for pets, we have a large range of these cold water fish for you to select from, so depending on your fish tank size you many want to go for a Dwarf variety like the Dwarf Neon Gourami or a larger species like the Gold Gourami, order now and we'll get them delivered to your home.
