Dwarf gourami facts for kids
The dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius) is a small, colorful fish from South Asia. It's a type of gourami known for its bright colors. Many people keep them as pets in aquariums.
Quick facts for kids Dwarf gourami |
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Where Dwarf Gouramis Live
Dwarf gouramis originally come from countries like Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. They have also been introduced to other parts of the world. These fish like to live in slow-moving water. You can find them in small rivers, streams, and lakes. They prefer places with lots of plants.
What Dwarf Gouramis Look Like
These fish can grow up to about 8.8 centimeters (3.5 inches) long. Wild male dwarf gouramis have cool diagonal stripes. These stripes are usually alternating blue and red colors. Female dwarf gouramis are a silvery color.
You can tell males and females apart by their dorsal fin. The male's dorsal fin is pointed. The female's dorsal fin is more rounded or curved. They also have special touch-sensitive cells. These are on their long, thread-like pelvic fins.
Fish stores often sell dwarf gouramis in solid colors. These include powder blue or red flame varieties. These are just special colors bred by humans. They are still the same type of fish. Like the archerfish, dwarf gouramis can shoot water. They can squirt a stream of water from their mouth. This helps them hunt small prey above the water. They can shoot water up to about 5 centimeters (2 inches).
Dwarf Gouramis and People
As Food
Before they became popular pets, dwarf gouramis were a food fish. They are still eaten in their home countries. In Bangladesh, they are called "Kholisha." In India, they are known as "Khosti." People in Punjab call them "Kungee." They have many other names too.
In the Aquarium
Dwarf gouramis are popular pet fish. They can live for about four to six years. With good care, they might live even longer. They are usually peaceful fish. However, they can be a bit territorial.
| Good conditions for a dwarf gourami aquarium. | |
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| Tank size | 40 litres (10 gallons) |
| Water Temperature | 22–28 °C (72–82 °F) |
| Water salinity | Freshwater (0 ppt) |
| Temperament | Peaceful; best kept in trios (one male, two females) or small groups. Can be bothered by other gourami types. |
| Diet | Eats both plants and meat (omnivorous) |
| Water hardness | 10–20 dH |
| pH | 6-8 |
They get along well in most community aquariums. They are good tank mates for fish like Platies, Mollies, Plecostomus, Ghost Catfish, and Tetras. They need a tank that holds at least 10 gallons of water. Dwarf gouramis often swim in the middle or top of the tank. This is because they are labyrinth fish. They have a special labyrinth organ that helps them breathe air from the surface.
Dwarf gouramis do not do well with large, aggressive fish. They are very gentle and might get picked on. Other male gourami species or male Siamese fighting fish might attack them. If you have faster swimming fish like guppies, spread out the food. This helps the shy dwarf gourami get enough to eat. Dwarf gouramis can handle warm water. Temperatures around 27 °C (80 °F) are fine for them.
Some dwarf gouramis raised for the aquarium trade might carry a specific virus. Research has shown that some fish from Singapore can carry this virus.
What Dwarf Gouramis Eat
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A varied diet is very important for dwarf gouramis. They are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and meat. They like algae-based flake food. They also enjoy freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex, and brine shrimp. Feeding them a mix of these foods gives them good nutrition.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Male dwarf gouramis build a floating bubble nest. This is where the eggs are laid. Unlike some other bubble nest builders, males add bits of plants and twigs. This helps make the nest stronger. For breeding, the water level should be lowered. It should be about 7 to 10 centimeters (3 to 4 inches) deep. The water temperature should be around 28–30 °C (82–86 °F).
Plants are very important for the nest. Males use plant material and bubbles to build it. The nests are often large and strong. Good plants for a breeding tank include Limnophila aquatica and Riccia fluitans.
Once the nest is built, the male starts to court the female. He swims around her with his fins spread out. He tries to lead her to the nest. If the female is ready, she will swim in circles with him under the nest. When she is ready to lay eggs, she touches the male. She might touch his back or tail with her mouth.
The male then wraps around the female. She turns on her side, then on her back. She will release about 60 clear eggs. The male immediately fertilizes them. Most of the eggs float up into the bubble nest. The male collects any eggs that float away. He places them back in the nest. They will spawn again after all eggs are in the nest. A pair can lay between 300 and 800 eggs.
After the eggs are laid, the male puts a thin layer of bubbles under them. This keeps them safe in the nest. The male will guard the eggs and the baby fish (fry). The fry hatch in 12 to 24 hours. They keep developing inside the bubble nest. After three days, they can swim freely and leave the nest. At this point, the male should be moved. He might eat the young fish. The female should also be moved to a different tank after spawning.
When the tiny fry first hatch, they should eat very small foods. These include infusoria, then later, brine shrimp. Older fry can eat finely ground flakes.
Colour Variations
Breeders have created many different colors of dwarf gouramis. These mostly vary in how much red and blue they have. The powder blue type is almost completely bright blue. The reddest type is called flame red. This one can sometimes be confused with the red honey gourami. One very common color is the turquoise / neon blue. This one has stripes of dark red and bright blue.
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Flame red
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Powder blue
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Turquoise / neon blue
