Gold Gourami – Trichogaster Trichopterus

Common name: Gold Gourami, 3 Spot Gourami, Spotted Gourami

Scientific name: Trichogaster Trichopterus, Trichopodus Trichopterus, Trichopus Trichopterus

Average Adult Fish Size: 5 inches / 12 cm

Place of Origin: Southeast Asia

Typical Tank setup: Well planted with tall or floating plants shading the surface along with rockwork and bogwood/driftwood.

Recommended Minimum Aquarium Capacity: 20 gallon / 80 litre

Compatibility: They are a peaceful community tank fish, but may chase other gourami type fish. Best if kept with fish that are of similar size and temperament, but they can also be kept with smaller schooling type fish, that are too large to be eaten. Males are best kept with 2-3 females.

Temperature: / 73 – 82 Deg F / 23 – 28 Deg C

Water chemistry: pH 6.0 – 8.8

Feeding: Omnivorous and do best on a varied diet of quality flaked and pelleted foods along with brine shrimp, daphnia, brown worms, and blood worms. Live or frozen foods are needed to be fed in order to bring a mature fish into breeding condition.

Sexing: Males are thinner and slightly brighter coloured. The dorsal fin of the male is pointed and the female is more rounded.

Breeding:  This species breeds willingly. They are bubble nest builders and the males build their nests among plants on the surface of the aquarium. Minimizing surface water movement will help maintain the bubble nest. Lowering the water levels and raising the temperature can help trigger spawning. The male guards the nest, the eggs, and fry. Remove the female after spawning. Feed free swimming fry infusoria for 5-7 days and finely crushed flaked food and baby brine shrimp thereafter.

Additional Information: Other colours of this same fish are available such as blue and white. If only one is to be kept it is better to keep a female of this species.