Gourami Fish Care Guide

Gourami Fish Care & Species Overview

The gourami fish group belongs to the Osphronemidae family. Gouramis are freshwater fish native to Southeastern Asia and come in a wide range of colors and patterns.

Gouramis are popular with fish keepers due to their gentle nature, affordability, and hardiness.

There are more than 90 different types of gouramis.

Gouramis thrive in low-oxygenated water in the wild. The fish can breathe in oxygen from the air because gouramis have a unique supplemental breathing structure, the labyrinth organ.

~~FAQ~~

~Do dwarf gouramis eat other fish?~

Yes, dwarf gouramis eat other fish. Dwarf gouramis are predatorial in nature and will try to eat any small fish that can fit in their mouths. They might even try to eat similarly-sized fish that are sick or dying.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t keep dwarf gouramis with other fish. Dwarf gouramis actually fare well in community tanks, as long as their tank mates have similar sizes and temperaments to them. Also, since they’re slow-swimmers, dwarf gouramis are unlikely to eat fast-swimming fish.

~What size tank does a dwarf gourami need?~

A dwarf gourami needs a 10-gallon tank or bigger. As a rule, one inch of fish requires at least a gallon of water to live comfortably, and a dwarf gourami usually grows to be around 3.5 inches long when mature. Thus, you can only fit a pair of dwarf gouramis inside a 10-gallon tank.

As social creatures, dwarf gouramis thrive best in large groups of at least four fish. Therefore, you should have a 20-gallon tank or bigger to keep your gouramis happy.

~How big do dwarf gouramis get?~

Dwarf gouramis get to be around 3.5 inches long when they mature.

As a general rule, one inch of fish requires at least a gallon of water to live comfortably, so you should factor in a fish’s adult size when determining how big of a tank you need and how many fish you can keep in it.

~How many dwarf gouramis should be kept together?~

At least four dwarf gouramis should be kept together. Dwarf gouramis are social creatures, and they feel more secure living in groups – the bigger the group, the better. With that said, if you have limited space, you can keep them in pairs.

Be careful not to overcrowd the tank, as it might stress the dwarf gouramis out. In general, one inch of fish requires at least a gallon of water to live comfortably. Keep in mind that dwarf gouramis can grow to be 3.5 inches long when mature. So, you can keep up to eight dwarf gouramis in a 55-gallon tank.

~Can you have just one dwarf gourami?~

No, you can’t have just one dwarf gourami. Dwarf gouramis are social fish and thrive best in a group.

Dwarf gouramis are naturally timid. If they’re alone, they might stay in hiding all the time. Moreover, a lonely dwarf gourami might become stressed, refuse to eat, fall ill, and die.

You should keep at least four dwarf gouramis together. If you have the space, then six or more dwarf gouramis are preferable. You can also provide them with other tankmates, such as tetras, corys, and plecos. However, if you have limited space, try keeping at least a pair of dwarf gouramis so they can keep each other company.

these are just a few sample questions. there are still many FAQs and info in the application