(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Trichogaster chuna
Common Name: Dwarf Gourami, Red Honey Dwarf Gourami
Adult Size: 2 inches
Life Expectancy: 4 years
Habitat: India, West Bengal, Assam, and Bangladesh
Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 72 - 82° F
- pH Range: 6.0 - 7.5
- Water Hardness: 4 - 10
Temperament: Usually peaceful and can be kept with other species that are not too large or aggressive. Other brightly colored species can sometimes cause male gouramis to become aggressive as they are mistaken for rivals. Peaceful, small schooling fish are suitable tank mates as well as most bottom-dwelling fish. Some potential tankmates may include dwarf cichlids, cardinal tetra, or neon tetra.
Diet & Nutrition: In nature, gouramis eat small insects and larvae from the surface of the water and graze on algal growth on plants. In captivity, they will eat flake food, freeze-dried food, frozen foods and vegetable tablets. To maintain good health, supplement their diet with periodic feedings of live foods such as frozen bloodworms.
Breeding & Spawning: In the community aquarium, healthy, mature male and female dwarf gouramis will usually spawn — but fry are unlikely to survive there. To raise gourami fry, get a separate spawning/breeding tank. This tank could be perhaps a bit smaller than the display tank (24 by 12 by 16 inches, 20 gallons), without substrate on the bottom but with some floating Cabomba at the water surface. On the bottom, a few small clay pots laid on their sides will provide hiding places for the female, should she need to escape the attention of an overzealous male. Water conditions should be similar to that of the community tank. But water levels can be dropped to about the two-thirds so it is easier for the male to pick up the fallen eggs and bring them back to the bubblenest. Temperatures should be around 78 to 80 degrees. Filtration for the breeding tank is best provided by a mature air-driven sponge filter.
Gender: Males are generally larger than females and more vividly colored. As males reach maturity, they develop elongated dorsal and anal fins that come to a point. In females, these fins are shorter and rounded.