Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Samurai Chocolate Gourami
No federal permit to keepSamurai Chocolate Gourami
Sphaerichthys vaillanti
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Osphronemidae (Gouramis and bettas)
Sphaerichthys vaillanti, known as Vaillant's chocolate gourami, samurai gourami, or samurai zebra gourami, is a species of gourami.
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 1.5 in / 3.9 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
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, 70–77 °F, pH 3.5–6.5, 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: “Primarily 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: “This species is a paternal 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
About this animal
About this animal
It is native to Asia, where it is known from mainly the Kapuas river in the west Kalimantan, (Kalimantan Barat)[1], region of Borneo in Indonesia. It is generally seen in pairs in small creeks or drainage where wood debris is abundant.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Sphaerichthys vaillanti” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
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 small creeks with plenty of wood debris in which it camouflages by its mimicry of a dead leaf, coloration and swimming positions. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–82 °F (22–28 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 72°F (down to 68°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 77–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 79–80% on average (driest month about 77%) |
| Rainfall | about 3662 mm a year, spread fairly evenly |
Measured at 6 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 | Sphaerichthys vaillanti, known as Vaillant's chocolate gourami, samurai gourami, or samurai zebra gourami, is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it is known from mainly the Kapuas river in the west Kalimantan, (Kalimantan Barat), region of Borneo in Indonesia. It is generally seen in pairs in small creeks or drainage where wood debris is abundant. It is known to mimic dead leaves as a form of camouflage. — 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 |
| Appearance and size | The male and female of this species have great sexual dimorphism as the females are brightly colored red with a predominant green and dark vertical stripes. The males are much simpler with a dull reddish brown with a few vertical and horizontal white lines. Juveniles are brown with clear caudal tails and white markings throughout. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Inhabits small creeks with plenty of wood debris in which it camouflages by its mimicry of a dead leaf, coloration and swimming positions. — FishBase |
| History and naming | This species descends from the ray-finned fishes, infraclass Teleostei, clade Percomorpha, and order Anabantiformes. It is an anabantoid from the family Osphronemidae (gouramis), and subfamily of Luciocephalinae. It is then from the genus Sphaerichthys and finally species vaillanti. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | This species is threatened in many ways in that it is an endemic species to Borneo. It is very sought after in the aquarium trade, making it vulnerable to going extinct due to mass collection. — 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 standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
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.
More gouramis and bettas
Alfred's Licorice Gourami
Parosphromenus alfredi
Aquarium hobby
Banded gourami
Trichogaster fasciata
Aquarium hobby
Barito Betta
Betta pallifina
Aquarium hobby
Betta hipposideros
Betta hipposideros
Aquarium hobby
Betta stigmosa
Betta stigmosa
Aquarium hobby
Betta uberis
Betta uberis
Aquarium hobby