Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Chocolate gourami
No federal permit to keepChocolate gourami
Sphaerichthys osphromenoides
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Osphronemidae (Gouramis and bettas)
The chocolate gourami (Sphaerichthys osphromenoides) is a species of gourami native to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo.
Intro from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.4 in / 6 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 75–81°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 4–6.
- Hardness: 0–4 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 24 × 12 in (roughly 14 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: soft, acidic water, 79–88 °F, pH 4–6.5, 0–3 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Provided adequate cover and structure is available this species is unfussy with regards to décor with ceramic flowerpots, lengths of plastic piping and other artificial materials all useful additions.”
- Diet: “Chiefly a micropredator feeding on small aquatic crustaceans, worms, insect larvae and other zooplankton.”
- Tankmates: “Tankmates must be chosen with care since this species is slow-moving and will easily be intimidated or outcompeted for food by larger/more boisterous tankmates.”
- Breeding: “Historically there has been some confusion surrounding this species' method of reproduction with some sources listing it erroneously as a bubblenester or paternal mouthbrooder when it is by all accounts a maternal mouthbrooder.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Gouramis and labyrinth fish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Warm, still, vegetated waters. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Planted, calm tanks with floating plants; they breathe air at the surface, so leave a gap under the lid.
Diet
- Food acceptance is species-specific. Parosphromenus deissneri needs tiny live invertebrate foods and commonly refuses dried foods; a pellet/flake staple cannot cover every labyrinth fish.
Health watch
- Males are territorial; dwarf gourami iridovirus.
Understanding the animal
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in mangroves. Uses both the bottom and open water. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 75–81 °F (24–27 °C), pH 4–6, hardness 4 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: external brooders, paternal parental care. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 75–81 °F.
- Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 89°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 72°F (down to 72°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 80–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 81–85% on average (driest month about 80%) |
| Rainfall | about 2492 mm a year, spread fairly evenly |
Measured at 23 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The chocolate gourami (Sphaerichthys osphromenoides) is a species of gourami native to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | The female lays 20-40 eggs which the male incubates in its mouth for about 2 weeks (, 129190 ). — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | As the common name suggests, the chocolate gourami has a chocolate color; additionally, golden bands run down the flanks. This species may reach a length of 6 cm. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Restricted to peats. An air-breathing species. Male broods eggs in the mouth. — FishBase |
| History and naming | Sphaerichthys selatanensis has once been treated as a subspecies of this species; now it is deemed to be a closely related but separate species. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 24 × 12 in (about 14 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Parosphromenus deissneri Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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