The dwarf gourami is one of the most popular freshwater fish out there. They look fantastic and do a great job of adding a splash of color to your aquarium.
Not only are they beautiful fish, but Dwarf Gourami are also very easy to keep and won’t require a lot of work on your part when it comes to caring for them.
Due to this combination, these fish will remain a staple of the freshwater aquarium community for quite some time.
That’s why putting together a Dwarf Gourami care guide was high on our list when it comes to adding more freshwater fish information to the site.
We hope you enjoy it!
Breed Overview
The Dwarf Gourami, scientifically known as Trichogaster Ialius, is a colorful breed of freshwater fish that is part of the Gourami family.
They are shy and quiet and will not cause problems with other fish in your tank. However, they choose to stay together as they are training the fish.
Dwarf gouramis are labyrinth fish, which means they have to get their oxygen from the surface. They have an organ that is very similar to the lungs that they use to take in oxygen.
Because of this, you will likely find them spending their time near the top or center of your aquarium so they can easily come to the surface when they need to breathe again.
The origin of the dwarf gourami is mentioned in India, West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh. They are known to thrive in thick water that is densely vegetated with plant growth.
They are known to be found in the same environments as other Colisa species. Native to India, West Bengal, Assam, and Bangladesh, they are native to heavily vegetated waters.
Size
The average size of the Dwarf Gourami ranges from about 3.5 inches to 4.5 inches. This can vary based on a number of factors, but for the most part, you can expect your fish to fall within this range.
Dwarf Gourami Lifespan
When cared for properly, Dwarf Gourami has an expected lifespan of up to 4 years. Stress, poor diet, and poor living conditions can significantly lower this number. That is why it is so important to take proper care of them.
What are the different types of dwarf gourami?
There are several different types of Dwarf Gourami that you can choose from (light blue is one of the most popular). Each type offers different unique and bright colors, which will really make your tank stand out.
While there used to be a limited number of variations, over time their colors have diversified greatly due to genetic mutations that occur with fish kept in aquariums.
The five most popular types of Dwarf Gourami branches include the following list below:
Light Blue Dwarf Gourami
Why not start with the most popular type first? The Light Blue Dwarf Gourami, like the Blue Dwarf Gourami, are known for their very bright and faint blue coloration. It may seem strange, but sometimes these types of gourami can have darker colors on their bodies.
We are big fans of the powder blue variation and highly recommend them to anyone with a freshwater tank.
Flame Dwarf Gourami
Flame Dwarfs Gourami has been a fan favorite for a long time. After his first introduction to his world, due to the color mutations that appeared on his bodies, a great interest in breeding them turned into a massive popularity.
This type of color is what started the great interest in breeding different variations of the dwarf gourami species. The impressive combination that have served as an understandable inspiration for breeders all over the world!
You can expect the Flame Dwarf Gourami to be very bright with orange and red colors transitioning very cleanly to their fins.
the honey dwarf
One thing we like about the Honey Dwarf Gourami is the clean monochrome coloring. It is a very striking color that is fun to look at without being over the top.
On rare occasions, you may see a Honey Dwarf that has dark spots or patches on their heads. For the most part, the color of their heads will be the same as their body.
This specific type of Dwarf Gourami has the most subtle coloration of all the types. They are known to come in orange with mixed shades of red and their tail fin is almost always colourless.
Blue Dwarf Gourami
This Dwarf Gourami is popular for many of the same reasons that the Pale Blue Dwarf Gourami is. Blue Dwarf Gourami is very bright and radiates blue more than any other color.
However, the blue dwarf gourami has larger scales than the other types we’ve listed, which is an easy way to tell them apart if you’re not already used to the different color patterns.
Another way to tell them apart is that blue dwarf gourami have a red and brown tint to the lines that run down their sides and their fins.
Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami
Last but not least are the Neon Blue Gourami. They are known for their striking bluish beauty and can also be seen to have red stripes running down their bodies.
These stripes are known to come in vibrant colors, and the fish in general is as bright as can be. Its neon blue coloration is even bolder than that of the normal blue Dwarf Gourami.
What are some good dwarf gourami tankmates?
Dwarf gouramis are known to have a very peaceful demeanor when living with other fish. They thrive well in tanks that don’t invite aggression and that mostly contain fish of similar size (or smaller), as long as they are compatible in temperament and attitudes with each other.
The most ideal tank mates for the Dwarf Gourami would be fish that dwell near the bottom of the tank. Dwarf Gourami tank mates are obvious plecos or other species of Gourami.
Some other ideal tank mates include:
- tetras
- loaches
- Catfish
- swordtail fish
- rasboras
- mollies
Putting Gourami in tanks with active fish can disturb them and also add stress and an unnecessarily aggressive competitive factor to their food situation.
In general, adding other peaceful fish that are not very active and live near the bottom are the most compatible with Dwarf Gourami. Always make sure your Gourami friends have the right chemistry to avoid competition in the tank.
What is the ideal configuration of your tank?
As with any fish, you’ll want to make sure your tank meets the requirements necessary to house Dwarf Gourami. They can get stressed easily, and a sub-optimal environment can prevent them from thriving very easily.
tank size
The minimum tank size for a dwarf gourami is 10 gallons (for up to 3 fish). If you have 4 or more fish, you’ll want to add an additional 5 gallons for each new fish.
| Number of dwarf gouramis | Minimum tank size |
| 3 | 10 gallons |
| 4 | 15 gallons |
| 5 | 20 gallons |
| 6 | 25 gallons |
| 7 | 30 gallons |
If you put them in a smaller tank, their debris will build up in a way that will be too much for the filter system to handle. This can possibly cause an ammonia spike in the tank which can be fatal to your fish.
To avoid an ammonia spike due to fish waste, it is important to change 10-20 percent of the water each week so it is clean enough that your fish can live in an environment where they can live out their life expectancy. life.
You also need to keep your tank at a temperature between 72-82°F (22-27°C).
Lastly, when setting up their habitat, adding plants and other exploration features like rooted plants will help them thrive. Another nice addition, specifically with breeding tanks, is to add some floating plants that block harsh light (as long as they can get to the surface to breathe) and also provide them with a place to create their nests when in breeding state.
Keeping your tank’s PH between 6 and 7.5 is fine for a Gourami as it can tolerate both soft and hard water environments. Although be very careful not to go over the recommended PH ranges,
how to breed them
When raising a Dwarf Gourami, you must first decide if you want to raise them in the same tank as your main school of fish or in a separate tank entirely.
The best idea is to use a separate tank, especially if your Dwarf Gourami has tank mates that could disrupt the breeding process.
When you are raising your fish, be sure to keep a close eye on the temperature of the water in the tank. Young fish are more affected by temperature change within the water than adult fish.
The amount of water you have in the brood. the tank should be no higher than 6 inches and kept around 4. The base of the tank can and should have a thin layer of a suitable substrate (sand is a common choice).
After six months, Dwarf Gourami are able to breed and the adult males will be ready to start building their nests of eggs.
To start the breeding process, you can condition your breeding partners by feeding them live foods, such as worms. Make sure to do this in your playback environment.
After conditioning them, it will be a while before the male begins to build the nest. If you want to encourage this process, setting the tank temperature to 82.5-86°F should do the trick. Be sure to keep all factors consistent in the tank to give yourself the best chance or successful breeding.
The nests they build will be like a kind of foam (it looks like saliva). Since this structure is not very solid, it is important to have a weaker flow within the tank setup as it will be less likely to destroy the nest that has been built at this stage.
Once the mature male completes the nest, the females will release multiple eggs. The males will catch them and place them in the nests they have built. After the females have released all of their eggs, they should be placed back in the tank where the main school of fish is.
Within 25-30 hours after the males have transferred the eggs to the nest, the first larvae will begin to develop and become apparent. These larvae will remain in the nest for a few days after their appearance.
Once the fry start to leave the nest, return the male Gourami to the main tank. Also, make sure that fish food is a constant source within the breeding tank. It is appropriate to feed your fry infusoria in the first few weeks and then you can give them Cyclops, Daphnia or brine shrimp as a food source.
Once the fry reach a healthy size of 0.6 to 0.8 inches, you can join them in the main tank.
Breeding dwarf gouramis can be a very rewarding and unique experience if you ensure your conditions are correct and keep your breeding tank in check as outlined in the information above.
What food do dwarf gouramis eat?
Choosing the right feed is very important if you want your fish to be healthy and maintain bright, beautiful colors. Fortunately, dwarf gouramis are not very picky eaters!
In their natural habitats, dwarf gouramis eat small insects and larvae that settle on the surface of the waters. They also eat insects that sit on algal growth (and the algal growth itself).
When in a tank environment, they may eat fish and vegetation-based flakes in tablet sizes, but also live foods. When feeding your dwarf gourami, always make sure you are feeding it the appropriate food for its species. If you want to keep them healthy in your tank environment, you can occasionally give them more live food, such as worms.
Dwarf Gourami Care
We’ve already covered the basics of Dwarf Gourami care, but there are a few additional things you need to know.
- Let them get used to your tank. Dwarf gouramis are very shy fish that are easily frightened or stressed. When you introduce them to your tank, you’ll want to make sure you give them their space. Once they have had time to adjust to the new environment, they will begin to act normally.
- Take into account the temperature of your room. When there is a significant difference between the heat in the room and the water in the tank, this can cause health problems for the fish. As we said before, they will be swimming to the surface to breathe. If the temperature difference is too great, it could damage his little labyrinthine organ!
- Stay on top of your water quality. Dwarf gouramis are especially susceptible to various diseases and conditions associated with poor water quality. These include Dwarf Gourami iridovirus and Dwarf gourami disease.
conclusion
There is a reason Gourami is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish right now.
Dwarf Gourami is a beautiful and enjoyable fish to have in your aquarium. They liven things up, play well with others, and are fun to watch.
We hope this care guide will help ensure that your dwarf gourami lives a happy and healthy life!
