Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Dwarf gourami
No federal permit to keepDwarf gourami
Trichogaster lalius
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Osphronemidae (Gouramis and bettas)
The dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius) is a species of gourami native to South Asia.
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 3.7 in / 9.5 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 77–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–8.
- Hardness: 5–19 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
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
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–81 °F, pH 6–7.5, 2–18 dGH.
- Difficulty: Beginner (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Like most Anabantoids, dwarf gouramis do not appreciate fast-moving or turbulent water.”
- Diet: “Thought to be omnivorous in nature, feeding on small invertebrates, algae and other aufwuchs.”
- Tankmates: “The dwarf gourami comes with a reserved recommendation for the community tank, not least because of associated health issues (see notes below).”
- Breeding: “Like many anabantoids, it's a bubble-nesting species.”
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. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits slow moving streams, rivulets and lakes with plenty of vegetation. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 77–82 °F (25–28 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 5–19 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: nesters, paternal parental care. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 77–82 °F.
- Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 92°F (up to 105°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 52°F (down to 45°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 75–80°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 61–76% on average (driest month about 60%) |
| Rainfall | about 1812 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 37 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 dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius) is a species of gourami native to South Asia. — 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 | Male guards the floating bubble-nest where the eggs are laid, about 600 in number. Hatching takes place in 12 to 24 hours while the male parent continues to protect the nest. In about three days, the developing larvae become free-swimming and leave the nest. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | This species can reach a length of 8.8 cm TL. Male dwarf gouramis in the wild have diagonal stripes of alternating blue and red colors; females are a silvery color. Besides the difference in color, the sex can be determined by the dorsal fin. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Inhabits slow moving streams, rivulets and lakes with plenty of vegetation. An air-breathing species. Aquarium keeping: minimum aquarium size 60 cm. — FishBase |
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.
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Australian bass Macquaria novemaculeata susceptibility to experimental megalocytivirus infection and utility as a model disease vector Go J et al., Diseases of aquatic organisms 2019
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
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.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
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