Dwarf Gourami Male (Trichogaster lalius)

The Dwarf Gourami (Trichogaster lalius) is the one that stops people at the tank, and this listing is for a mature male, the sex that carries the color. Alternating vertical bars of burnt red orange and electric turquoise run the length of the body, the fins are edged in the same blue, and a pair of thread-like pelvic fins trail underneath that he uses to feel his way around. He stays around three inches, hangs in the upper half of the tank, and moves at a slow, deliberate pace that makes him easy to watch. Browse the rest of our freshwater livestock and supplies to build the tank around him.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 10 gallons for a single male, 20 gallons or more for a planted community. He is a slow swimmer, so calm water matters more than raw volume.
• One male per tank. Males are peaceful toward other species and genuinely territorial toward each other, so keep a single male, or one male with two or three females in a 20 gallon or larger.
• Plant it heavily. A bare bright tank leaves him washed out and hiding in a corner. Give him Anubias Nana, Cryptocoryne Lucens, and Java Moss, plus floating cover if you have it. Color and confidence both improve within days.
• Keep the flow low. These are still-water fish. Baffle a strong filter outflow, or he will spend his day fighting the current instead of cruising the plants.
• Surface access is required. Like bettas, he breathes atmospheric air through a labyrinth organ. Leave an air gap under the lid and keep that air warm and humid so he is not gulping cold room air.
• Water parameters: 72 to 82°F, pH 6.0 to 7.5, hardness 4 to 15 dGH. A heater is required, and stability matters more than hitting an exact number.
• Feeding: omnivore with a small mouth. Micro pellets and quality flake such as Hikari Micro Pellets or Ocean Nutrition Brine Shrimp Plus Flake daily, with frozen or freeze dried foods two or three times a week.
• Lid: recommended. Any surface breathing fish can jump.

Specifications

Compatibility

An excellent centerpiece for a calm planted community. Pair him with small peaceful schoolers like Neon Tetras, Ember Tetras, Rummy Nose Tetras, Brilliant Rasboras, or Cherry Barbs. Along the bottom, Panda Corys, Sterbai Corys, Black Kuhli Loaches, and an Otocinclus all work well. Nerite snails such as the Racetrack Nerite are completely safe.

What to avoid. Fin nippers are the main risk, since those trailing pelvic feelers are an obvious target and Tiger Barbs will strip them. Also skip fast greedy eaters that clear the food before a slow feeder arrives, and anything large or boisterous enough to intimidate a three inch fish. Adults may pick off shrimplets, so a dwarf shrimp colony is better kept separately.

Other gouramis. Never keep two male Dwarf Gouramis together, and avoid mixing him with the larger, pushier species. The Honey Gourami is the gentler relative, the Pearl Gourami is a calm larger option, and the Blue Gourami is the assertive one that will push this fish around.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Hikari Micro Pellets, sized right for a small mouth
• Ocean Nutrition Brine Shrimp Plus Flake
• Xtreme Community Crave Flakes
• SFBB Mini Bloodworms or Freeze-Dried Daphnia as a treat
• Anubias Nana and Java Moss for cover and confidence
• Seachem StressGuard for the settling-in period

FAQ

Why are only males sold with the color?
Because only males have it. Female T. lalius are a plain silvery grey with no striping, which is why almost every Dwarf Gourami in the trade is male. If you want to keep a group, one male with two or three females works in a 20 gallon or larger, but two males in the same tank will fight.

Is the Flame, Powder Blue, or Neon Blue Gourami a different fish?
No. Those are all selectively bred color forms of the same species, Trichogaster lalius, and they are identical in care and temperament. For stocking purposes treat any two of them as the same fish, which means one male per tank.

I have heard Dwarf Gouramis are fragile. Is that fair?
Partly. The species is susceptible to an iridovirus that is common in mass-produced stock and has no treatment, which is the main reason we list this fish as intermediate rather than beginner. It is worth knowing before you buy. What you can control is sourcing and setup: we quarantine our livestock before it goes on the floor, and a well planted, stable, gently filtered tank with a good diet gives a healthy male a normal four to six year life. Quarantining new arrivals at home is still the right habit.

Dwarf Gourami or Honey Gourami?
They are different species. The Dwarf reaches about three inches and brings far more color, while the Honey stays around two inches, is more placid, and has a reputation as the hardier of the two. Pick the Dwarf for the color and presence, the Honey for the easiest possible community fish.

Will he build a bubble nest?
Very likely, especially in a calm planted tank. Males build floating bubble nests at the surface as a sign of comfort. It is nothing to fix, and you only need to act on it if you want to try breeding him.