Gourami fish (labyrinth fish) are natives of Asia. There are over a hundred gourami fish types that range in size from 2 to 36 inches. But the 13 covered here are the most popular.
Many of them are members of the genus Trichogaster. These gourami fish species all have a similar leaf-shaped body plan. Other relatives include the cylindrical-shaped croaking gourami fish and betta fish.
Common Types of Gourami Fish Species
Here are a few of the most common Gourami species on the market:
1. Dwarf Gourami Fish
Dwarf Gourami are one of the most popular types of Gourami in the aquarium trade due to the bright colors of the males. When displaying towards other males or trying to impress a female, they will become even more intense crimson and blue.
Aquarists often buy only a single male since they are the most beautiful. But they don’t realize that Dwarf Gouramis show better colors when they have females to impress. The silvery Dwarf Gourami females aren’t as impressive but they bring out the best in their male partners.
Like most small Gourami, Dwarf Gourami are peaceful towards other community fish and won’t do well with Barbs and other fish that tend to nip at long, flowing fins like Gourami feelers.
Warm, slightly acidic water and ample frozen and live foods like bloodworms and brine shrimp are what Dwarf Gouramis love. These live and frozen foods also bring out richer reds thanks to the carotenoids they contain. They also encourage bubble nest building and spawning.
- Scientific Name: Trichogaster lalius
- Length: 2-3″
- Tank Size: 20 Gallons
- Ease of Care: Easy
- Temperament: Peaceful to Semi-Aggressive
Powder Blue, Neon Blue, and Flame Dwarf Gourami
Each of these three color variants are the most common varieties of Dwarf Gourami you’ll see besides the standard form.
These color morphs are different in appearance. But they have the same care requirements and temperament as the standard Dwarf Gourami. Each will also breed with each other with ease.
2. Honey Gourami
One of the smallest types of Dwarf Gourami is the Honey Gourami. These gourami fish are not as common as the Three Spot or Dwarf Gourami. Honey Gourami are smaller than Dwarf Gourami and are a bit shy. Like most species of Gourami, the female is more of a subdued silver color but essential for the best color from your male.
Dwarf Gourami do well in most community tanks but Honey Gourami will be intimidated by swift-moving fish of the same size or larger. They also prefer planted tanks with plenty of cover like floating plants. The more hiding places you offer the more you will see them out in the open.
Wild-caught Honey Gourami can be found in stores on occasion. They have a deeper color than captive-bred Honey Gourami but are more sensitive to poor water conditions. They are perfect inhabitants for planted aquascapes, however.
Wild Honey Gourami prefer frozen and live foods, which are also good for their captive-bred cousins. They are easy to train onto flakes and micro pellets with time. Provide Honey Gourami fish with warm, neutral to acidic water, and little current.
- Scientific Name: Trichogaster chuna
- Length: 2.5″
- Tank Size: 10 Gallons
- Ease of Care: Moderate
- Temperament: Very Peaceful
Sunset Honey Gourami
The Sunset Honey Gourami is a vividly colored variant. While lacking the black mask of standard Honey Gourami, the Sunset has a red or white chin and tail. These colors are a striking contrast to the orange and crimson body.
3. Kissing Gourami Fish
Kissing Gourami are one of the largest types of Gourami. They can grow to be a foot in length but 8″ is more common in aquariums. Unlike most Gouramis, Kissing Gourami are herbivorous. They use their large, fleshy lips to kiss and suck algae, detritus, and pick at soft plants in nature.
Kissing Gourami also eat small worms, insect larvae, and other live prey they come across but readily accept flakes and pellet food in aquariums. Like other large types of Gourami, Kissing Gourami are raised as food fish throughout Asia.
Kissing Gouramis fish can be semi-aggressive, which may come as a surprise to some aquarists. They will not only spar with one another but will use their toothy, rasping lips to bite tankmates. Especially fish with tall sides like Angelfish and Discus. Kissing Gourami use their lips like shields to push and prod one another and will flare them wide before locking lips in wrestling matches.
Kissing Gourami graze for food by kissing and sucking detritus and biofilms from rocks, floating plants, glass…And the slime coats of their tankmates. As they grow, they make better tankmates for fish that will defend themselves or are both large and fast. These include large Cichlids, Giant Danios, and Silver Dollars.
- Scientific Name: Helostoma temminkii
- Length: 8-12″
- Tank Size: 55+ Gallons
- Ease of Care: Easy
- Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Pink Kissing Gourami
The Pink Kissing Gourami is more popular than the wild-type Green Kissing Gourami. Pink Kissing Gourami are a leucistic form of the Green. Leucism is similar to Albinism except the eyes don’t lose pigment and remain black.
4. Paradise Fish
Despite their name, Paradise Fish or Paradise Gourami often make the lives of their tank mates difficult. These medium-sized Gourami are vivid in color and have showy fins almost like a Betta but are intolerant bullies. They spend most of their time chasing tankmates around and like Betta fish, males will fight to the death if kept together.
With their small mouths and slow swimming speed Paradise Fish can’t do too much damage to tank mates that can get out of the way. You’ll want a tank of at least 20 gallons if keeping them in a community tank.
A bigger tank is even better, with ample hiding places and breaks in line of sight. Paradise Fish will chase intruders within the area they claim as territory. Fast-moving schooling fish like Tetras and Danios don’t have much to fear, though.
Blue Paradise Gourami Fish are found throughout East Asia as far north as Korea and are one of the most cold-tolerant types of Gourami. They will thrive in unheated aquariums. Paradise Fish are otherwise attractive and easy to keep so long as you only keep one.
When trying to breed them females should be introduced already full of eggs or the male will harass her to death with a mixture of fin displays and bites. Introducing them in a divided aquarium is the best way to encourage them to spawn without the female being killed by the overeager male.
- Scientific Name: Macropodus opercularis
- Length: 3-4″
- Tank Size: 20+ Gallons
- Ease of Care: Easy
- Temperament: Aggressive
5. Snakeskin Gourami
Snakeskin Gourami are one of the larger types of Gourami. They are also uncommon in the aquarium trade as they aren’t colorful. Instead, they are far more often bred for food in Southeast Asia and China.
Wild and well-fed captive Snakeskin Gourami develop a marbled dark brown to an iridescent green pattern similar to a python, hence the name. While similar to the closely related Pearl and Blue Gourami, the drab pattern and broken black line from eye to tail make them easy to tell apart.
Snakeskin Gourami are capable of growing up to 10″ in the wild and as thick as a man’s hand. But 6-8″ is more common in aquariums. Like most types of Gourami they are opportunistic feeders of insect larvae, daphnia, and other small prey found in weedy, still or slow-moving bodies of water.
Despite their size, Snakeskin Gourami are model community tank dwellers. Even when spawning the males are peaceful and won’t harass tank mates or other Gourami fish. Snakeskin Gourami can have as many as 7,000 babies per spawn and take care of their young in tidy bubble nests built among floating weeds.
- Scientific Name: Trichopodus pectoralis
- Length: 6-8″
- Tank Size: 30+ Gallons
- Ease of Care: Very Easy
- Temperament: Peaceful
6. Pearl Gourami Fish
Pearl Gourami are one of the most attractive types of Gourami. These peaceful fish are easy to care for. They will grow up to 5 inches long; impressive but not hard to house.
The males have a bright red robin’s breast that turns deep crimson when ready to spawn. Pearl Gouramis also have filamentous extensions to their anal fin that give them a lacey appearance. Alternative names include Mosaic and Lace Gourami.
Pearl Gourami males are a little territorial but won’t cause each other permanent damage when kept together. Since they are easy to sex when mature, a single male and female make fine companions for a community tank.
With their small mouths, Pearl Gourami are only a threat to young fry and won’t bully other fish, even other Gourami.
- Scientific Name: Trichopodus leerii
- Length: 4-5″
- Tank Size: 30+Gallons
- Ease of Care: Very Easy
- Temperament: Peaceful
7. Three Spot Gourami or Blue Gourami Fish
Three Spot Gourami (better known as the Blue Gourami) are popular with pet stores and food fish farms around the world. Like other types of Gourami they are easy to care for and will accept a wide variety of prepared, live, and frozen foods.
Wild type Three Spot Gourami are a bit plain and rarely seen in the aquarium trade. Opaline, Gold, Lavender, and Blue Gourami are far more common.
Blue Gourami fish get large; 6-8″ is common even in aquariums and they are bullies on occasion. Blue Gourami tend to chase fish with long, flowing fins, such as guppies, Bettas, and other fish that can’t get away quickly.
They make better tankmates for semi-aggressive cichlids, large loaches, and catfish. Smaller fish that school and swim fast are also safe with a Blue Gourami.
- Scientific Name: Trichopodus trichopterus
- Length: 6-8″
- Tank Size: 30+ Gallons
- Ease of Care: Very Easy
- Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Lavender/Gold/Opaline/Cobalt Blue Gourami Fish
These fish look very different in color from one another. But a quick glance confirms they have identical body shapes and similarities to their patterns. Each is a color morph of the Three Spot Gourami and has identical care requirements.
8. Moonlight Gourami Fish
Unlike the closely related Three Spot Gourami, Moonlight Gouramis are peaceful, retiring community tank dwellers that are easily bullied by larger fish. These fish are striking, with a silvery iridescence that makes them great choices for planted aquascapes with strong lighting.
Moonlight Gouramis are found in the Mekong River basin of Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos).
Moonlight Gourami fish are a bit more challenging to sex. Both males and females are iridescent silver color and are peaceful in temperament. Mature males have a stronger bluish-green hue as well as red tones in their long, trailing pelvic fins.
They are easy to breed bred, however. And like all types of Gourami, the male will take excellent care of the young fry.
- Scientific Name: Trichopodus microlepis
- Length: 6″
- Tank Size: 20 Gallons
- Ease of Care: Easy
- Temperament: Peaceful
9. Licorice Gourami Fish
If you come across Licorice Gourami in a pet store you may not be impressed. Licorice Gourami usually look dull at first. These types of Gourami rarely get a fair chance at catching your attention however.
The key to a happy, healthy Licorice Gourami is replicating the water conditions of their natural habitat. Nearly all Licorice Gourami in the aquarium trade are wild-caught or captive-bred in identical conditions by specialists.
They come from forested blackwater creeks in Indonesia where the pH can be as low as 3.5-4 due to the heavy buildup of decaying plant matter. Hardness is extremely low to non-existent. They also need very warm water, from 75-84F in order to thrive.
You’ll need not only pH reducers and buffering agents like driftwood and Almond leaves but products like Brightwell Aquatics Blackwater Liquid Fresh Water Conditioner that add beneficial tannins to the water. Plant tannins not only increase acidity but turn the water a dark tea color that reduces light levels and helps Licorice Gourami feel safe in exploring in the open.
Good tankmates include equally small fish from the region like Kuhli Loaches and Rasboras as well as South American blackwater fish like Cardinal Tetras.
When attended to in this way Licorice Gourami will display incredible color. The males are black and silver with fins like flags full of red, gold, and blue hues that they wave towards each other and females. While territorial towards one another they aren’t aggressive and can be kept in small groups in planted aquariums.
There are several species of Licorice Gourami but all have similar requirements. They are all very challenging to keep but are well worth the effort.
- Scientific Name: Parosphromenus sp.
- Length: 2″
- Tank Size: 10+ Gallons
- Ease of Care: Difficult
- Temperament: Very Peaceful
10. Chocolate Gourami Fish
Like Licorice Gourami, Chocolate Gourami are also from highly acidic blackwater environments. They are found in peat swamps and blackwater conditions in Malaysia and Borneo where the acidity can be as low as 3.5-4. Chocolate Gourami are also sensitive to poor water conditions and will be the first to develop fungus, pop-eye, ich, and other infections.
These requirements make them ideal tank mates for Licorice Gourami and other blackwater fish. They are peaceful to the point of being shy and are intimidated by large fish or groups of fast-moving tank mates. Chocolate Gourami should be given plenty of live plants and tangled driftwood to weave in and out of.
They are also tolerant of their own kind and can be kept in pairs or small groups. Their delicate patterns, subtle colors and slow movement makes them graceful additions to planted aquascapes.
Chocolate Gourami fish are also unique in how they spawn. Instead of the male building bubble nests, the female collects the eggs and mouth broods for a period of 2 weeks until the eggs hatch. The male will also stay and defend the female from tank mates until the fry are ready to leave and fend for themselves.
- Scientific Name: Sphaerichthys osphromenoides
- Length: 2″
- Tank Size: 10+ Gallons
- Ease of Care: Difficult
- Temperament: Very Peaceful
11. Sparkling Gourami Fish
Sparkling Gourami are some of the most unique types of Gourami. For starters, they’re very small, barely growing beyond 2″. They are the best gourami fish for a small tank.
Sparkling Gourami are peaceful and are better kept in pairs or groups of 4-6, making them ideal inhabitants for small planted aquariums. Like all Gourami, the males will display on occasion but they never fight to the death.
Sparkling Gourami also go by another name: Croaking Gourami. All Trichopsis species have the ability to rub their pectoral fins together in a manner that creates a soft croak that even we humans can hear.
The males will croak and display rather than nip at one another. And females will purr to let makes know they are willing to spawn. Like most types of Gourami, they are bubble nest builders and the male takes responsibility for raising the fry. Sexing adults is not too challenging when they are healthy.
Sparkling Gourami get their name from the red and blue spangles and bright blue iridescent eyes of the males. Females are a pale brown and white in color. Sometimes in aquarium stores both males and females look pale and brown. But they color up well when brought home.
- Scientific Name: Trichopsis pumila
- Length: 1.5-2″
- Tank Size: 10+ Gallons
- Ease of Care: Easy
- Temperament: Very Peaceful
12. Giant Gourami Fish
Giant Gourami live up to their name as the largest types of Gourami. Reaching over 2 feet in length, these popular Asian food fish are also vegetarian. While they will take flakes and pellets they do best on blanched whole vegetables, soft-leaved floating plants, and flakes or pellets enriched with Spirulina with animal protein as a supplement.
While Giant Gourami fish aren’t picky about water quality, providing a suitably sized tank for adults is an issue. These types of Gourami are sold when small, around 2-4″. The unsuspecting aquarist eventually comes to realize that their small, peaceful Gourami keeps eating and growing and won’t stop.
Giant Gourami are semi-aggressive and will bully other Gourami and peaceful tankmates, often when crowded in small aquariums. They range in color from gray to nearly black when males are ready to spawn. Albino Giant Gourami are also common in the pet and food trade.
Giant Gourami are famous for having a ton of personality. They sometimes can be trained to recognize the person who feeds them, will take food from your fingers, and even allow gentle petting underwater.
- Scientific Name: Osphronemus goramy
- Length: 20-28″
- Tank Size: 200+ Gallons
- Ease of Care: Moderate
- Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
13. Betta Fish
The Betta fish is also classified in the family Osphronemidae, making it a type of Gourami. Bettas are possibly the most popular Gourami in the world due to their tolerance of poor water quality and showy fins.
Betta fish put on a much better display when kept in planted aquariums with a variety of fresh and frozen invertebrate foods. A warm water temperature and acidic, filtered water are also important to them.
Bettas are famously intolerant of other males. When kept with several females, heavy floating plant cover, and in the largest of aquariums (55+ Gallons) it’s sometimes possible to get away with more than one. Bettas have been captive-bred for aggression in Thailand for centuries so you’re better off just keeping one.
Bettas will sometimes chase other long-finned fish like fancy guppies, which remind them of other males. Their long, flowing fins make them slow swimmers. So most fish can easily avoid their short-lived bouts of rage. Bettas are fine community tank inhabitants and often need defending from fin nippers like Danios and Barbs.
Betta is actually a genus of several related Gourami. It includes fish that are mouthbrooders, peaceful to aggressive in temperament, and some that are even larger than Betta splendens. Most of these are wild-caught Betta species and many are picky about water conditions and feeding.
- Scientific Name: Betta splendens
- Length: 2-3″
- Tank Size: 5-10 Gallons
- Ease of Care: Very Easy
- Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
In Conclusion
Labyrinth fish include some of the most beautiful and easy to keep freshwater fish around. Many gourami fish species even come in several color morphs, allowing you to mix and match colors in the same tank setup. So long as you provide them with a warmer water temperature, occasional frozen or live food, and a well-planted tank, you should enjoy most species of gourami fish for years to come.
FAQs
Are Gouramis Friendly?
Most gouramis are peaceful fish but a few can be a little more aggressive in the same tank setup. The smaller species, including the Dwarf Gourami, Honey Gourami, Sparkling Gourami, and Chocolate Gouramis tend to be the most peaceful fish. It is best to keep these shy fish with similar-sized fish that won’t chase or bully them.
Do Gourami Fish Get Lonely?
Chocolate Gouramis and other smaller fish will sometimes act like shy fish if they are kept with no other tank mates. They are not schooling fish, however. So you can keep a single gourami in community aquariums with other fish with ease.
Are Gouramis Good Community Fish?
Most gouramis are peaceful fish but a few can be aggressive fish. As a rule of thumb, it is best to keep gouramis in community aquariums with similar-sized fish. Otherwise, the gourami fish may try bullying their smaller tank mates.
Can Gouramis Live With Other Fish?
It is best to keep gouramis with other fish in community aquariums. When kept alone they can be very shy fish and may simply hide all of the time.
