Dwarf Gourami
Trichogaster lalius
Osphronemidae
About
The dwarf gourami is a colourful labyrinth fish from the slow, heavily vegetated waters of the Indian subcontinent, particularly the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins. Males are vividly striped in red and metallic blue, while females are silvery-grey. Peaceful and somewhat shy, it appreciates a quiet, densely planted tank with floating cover and calm water at the surface, where it takes air with its labyrinth organ. Buyers should be aware that mass-bred stock is prone to Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus and bacterial disease, so sourcing healthy fish is important.
Care
Keep in a calm, planted 55 L+ tank at 22-28°C with gentle flow and floating plants. Best as a single specimen or a male-female pair; source healthy stock to avoid iridovirus.
Diet
Omnivore; flake/pellet plus live/frozen daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (18)
Possible with care (22)
Avoid (1)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.