If you’re considering adding some gouramis to your tank, then you’ve found the right article! In this article, not only will you learn about all the different types of gourami, you’ll also learn how to care for them, what to feed them, and which one is best for your.
So keep reading to find out everything you need to know! As well as other frequently asked questions as well!
What Are the Different Types of Gourami?
Here are all the different types of gourami you can choose from for your tank!
Dwarf Gourami
There are different types of dwarf gourami that all vary in appearance. So when we talk about dwarf gourami’s there’s actually a rather wide spectrum!
Dwarf gouramis require a light cycle that mimics their natural habitat, so make sure they’re getting at least 10-12 hours of light per day. They also enjoy having floating plants and hiding places in order to nest. Plant-based foods and floating pellets are the best things to feed them as they normally “hunt” near the surface of the water.
They are easy to care for as long as the water in the tank is kept clean and at a stable warm temperature. Their pH preferences are fairly neutral, so as long as you’re keeping your aquarium well maintained, you’ll have nothing to worry about.
| Name | Dwarf Gourami |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| Temperature | 72-82°F |
| Tank Size | 10 Gallons |
| Size | 2-3″ |
| Lifespan | 3-5 Years |
Types of Dwarf Gourami
Let’s explore some of the amazing colorful types of Dwarf Gourami you can choose from, and learn what makes them stand out!
- Blue Dwarf Gouramis: If you’re looking for a cool fish to add to your tank, you might want to check out the blue dwarf gourami. They’re super pretty with a bright blue color and reddish-brown stripes on their sides and fins. Plus, their fins have a nice light brown shade that looks really fancy.
- Powder Blue Dwarf Gouramis: With their electric blue hue and vibrant red accents on their fins, powder blue dwarfs are a sight to behold. They come in two variations: solid blue and a beautiful pattern of blended shades. With iridescent scales like fine powder dust, these gouramis are a great addition to any aquarium!
- Neon Blue Dwarf Gouramis: These fish are known for their intense bluish-green colors. Their bright hues are twice as dazzling as their blue counterparts. Plus, they have striking red stripes running across their bodies. While they still have the subtle brown stripes found in other varieties, they’re not as prominent in the neon blue dwarfs.
- Flame Dwarf Gouramis: Flame dwarf gouramis are a special breed with their fiery reddish-orange color. The vibrant hue fades near the top of their head, creating a distinct gradient. And when you spot their merged dorsal fin, you’ll notice an electric blue shade with a silver tip on the merged anal fin.
- Honey Dwarf Gouramis: If you prefer a more understated beauty, honey dwarf gouramis are an excellent choice. These gouramis exhibit a dark red-orange body with transparent dorsal and caudal fins. Many honey dwarfs also have a distinctive dark brown stripe running down their face from the top of their head to the base of their tail.
- Red Dwarf Gouramis: Similar to flame dwarfs but with their own unique flair, red dwarf gouramis boast colors that will surely catch your eye. Although they lack the blue dorsal fin found in flame dwarfs, their red color is still quite striking. It leans more towards a mix of orange and brown, creating a unique appearance in your tank.
Paradise Gourami/Paradise Fish
Paradise gourami’s or paradise fish also come in different varieties that can be distinguished from one another by the shape of their tails, either forked, rounded, or pointed. They have bright blue/green and red/orange stripes with small shiny blue/black dots on their bodies. They prefer sandy substrate and lots of aquarium plants for hiding places.
They eat both plants and animals and require a lot of protein in their diet. Their preferred foods include frozen and live mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, and bloodworms, but I’d also recommend supplementing their diet with vegetables and algae wafers.
Paradise gourami’s can tolerate a wide range of water parameters, but their care can be slightly challenging due to their aggressive nature. It’s best to keep them with large, peaceful fish, so they are less likely to pick a fight.
| Name | Paradise Fish |
| pH | 5.8-8.0 |
| Temperature | 68-82°F |
| Tank Size | 20 Gallons |
| Size | 2.5″ |
| Lifespan | 8 Years |
Honey Gourami
Honey gouramis are a soft buttery yellow with a black mark around the eyes and tend to stay small like dwarf gourami. A variant of the honey gourami known as the sunset honey gourami lacks the black mark but has a red or white chin and tail with an orange and red colored body.
Honey gouramis love aquarium plants which provide hiding places and will become stressed if there aren’t enough in the tank. They require a lot of protein in their diet, which can be provided by feeding them frozen tubifex, bloodworms, and brine shrimp. Algae flakes are also a good addition for providing well-balanced meals.
| Name | Honey Gourami |
| pH | 6.0-8.0 |
| Temperature | 74-82°F |
| Tank Size | 20 Gallons |
| Size | 2″ |
| Lifespan | 5-8 Years |
Pearl Gourami
Pearl gouramis are reddish-brown with white spots all over their bodies and a black lateral line that runs from head to tail. They are used to dark habitats, so equip the aquarium tank with dark substrate, lots of vegetation, and little bright light exposure.
They need a well-balanced diet of animal and plant matter. While it’s easiest to give them the nutrients they require through pellets and flakes, you can also include blanched lettuce, spinach, deshelled peas, live brine shrimp, and bloodworms in their diet too.
| Name | Pearl Gourami |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| Temperature | 77-82°F |
| Tank Size | 30 Gallons |
| Size | 4.5″ |
| Lifespan | 4-5 Years |
Kissing Gourami
Kissing gourami are easily identified by their puckered mouth, which features an extra jaw joint that allows them to open their mouths wider than other gouramis when feeding. They are usually pink or silver-green, and some may have small spots, dark stripes, or brown fins.
They prefer lots of shade provided by aquarium plants and are used to water that isn’t the highest quality. But in their tank, you should add lots of floating plants, but also try to create a black water environment
Like most gourami, kissing gourami eat a variety of plant and animal matter, so providing a balanced diet is key. Again the best thing to do is give them the bulk of their diet through tropical flakes and then supplement their diet with treats after.
| Name | Kissing Gourami |
| pH | 6.8-8.5 |
| Temperature | 72-82°F |
| Tank Size | 100 Gallons |
| Size | 6″ |
| Lifespan | 5-7 Years |
Thick Lipped Gourami
Thick lipped gourami’s are normally rusty orange in color but they can also be brown or olive green with vertical turquoise stripes that run from the back of the head to the tail. The sunset variant of the thick-lipped gourami is typically a bright orange-gold color. Plants placed toward the back of the aquarium is key, so this species has a place to hide, while also having a place to swim.
They can eat a wide range of food, including fish flakes and pellets, algae wafers, live bloodworms, white worms, brine shrimp, and fresh vegetables. They also need additional oxygenation, so adding an air pump or ensuring there are plenty of plants is a good idea.
| Name | Thick Lipped Gourami |
| pH | 6.0-7.0 |
| Temperature | 72-82°F |
| Tank Size | 20 Gallons |
| Size | 3.5″ |
| Lifespan | 4-7 Years |
Snakeskin Gourami
Snakeskin gouramis are usually a dark mottled brown/green color with an iridescent green shimmer similar to that of a python (hence the name). Like most gouramis, adding aquarium plants to their tank will help reduce captivity stress and provide plenty of places to shelter.
Snakeskin gourami’s a lot of plant-based foods, so you’ll need to make sure there is algae, or algae tablets in the tank. However, supplementation with live brine shrimp, bloodworms, and white worms or fish flakes or pellets will help keep this species in optimal health.
| Name | Snakeskin Gourami |
| pH | 5.8-8.5 |
| Temperature | 72-86°F |
| Tank Size | 40 Gallons |
| Size | 8″ |
| Lifespan | 4-6 Years |
Three Spot Gourami
Three spot gourami come in various colors, including blue, gray, opaline, gold, lavender, and silver. Obviously, the more colorful varieties tend to be more popular among aquarium hobbyists than the plainer silver ones. They prefer floating covers such as unrooted plants, driftwood, or leaf litter, but with plenty of open space for free swimming.
They will eat a multitude of foods, including plant matter, algae wafers, worms, and crustaceans. They are fairly easy to care for and maintain as they can thrive in a wide range of water parameters, including acidic to alkaline pH, soft to hard water hardness, and a breadth of warm water temperatures.
| Name | Threespot Gourami |
| pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| Temperature | 73-82°F |
| Tank Size | 30 Gallons |
| Size | 5″ |
| Lifespan | 5 Years |
Chocolate Gourami/Samurai Gourami
Chocolate gourami’s are brown in color with three to five vertical white to yellow stripes. They sport long fins with yellow edges and a slightly forked tail. This species likes a variety of rooted as well as floating aquarium plants with places to hide but also access to light.
They need to eat a well-balanced diet that includes both plant and animal-based foods. With that in mind the best options for chocolate gourami’s are algae flakes and live or frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, and mosquito larvae.
They can be very difficult to care for since they have a very selective preference for acidic waters that remain soft on the water hardness scale but warm in temperature. They can not tolerate a wide swing in these parameters, or else they could become very ill.
| Name | Chocolate Gourami |
| pH | 4.0-6.0 |
| Temperature | 77-81°F |
| Tank Size | 30 Gallons |
| Size | 2.4″ |
| Lifespan | 5-8 Years |
Moonlight Gourami
Moonlight gourami’s are a non-aggressive species that sport a silver-colored body with a slight greenish tint. It is easily distinguished from other gourami species by the head, which features a concave slope. Providing tall aquarium plants for hiding places is necessary for moonlight gourami’s to maintain low-stress levels.
This species needs a variety of foods to maintain optimal health, including live and frozen crustaceans and worms as well as fish flakes. Moonlight gourami’s require neutral to slightly acidic waters, with a hardness that can range from soft to hard and fairly warm temperatures.
| Name | Moonlight Gourami |
| pH | 6.0-7.0 |
| Temperature | 77-86°F |
| Tank Size | 20 Gallons |
| Size | 5″ |
| Lifespan | 4-Years |
Licorice Gourami
Licorice gouramis live up to their namesake by sporting black and white lateral bands from head to tail and also have white, black, or red patterns on their tails. They have long skinny pectoral fins and pointed snouts. Indian almond leaves and driftwood are essential to providing this species with a good imitation of its Indonesian habitat in blackwater creeks.
Licorice gourami will eat both plant and animal matter, but its main diet should consist of algae-based pellets or wafers. Adding some meaty supplements will help keep a well-balanced diet and give them the necessary protein.
These little fish can be hard to take care of because they are very particular about their water conditions. They require very acidic waters, extremely soft water hardness, and warm water temperatures in order to maintain optimal health.
| Name | Licorice Gourami |
| pH | 6.8-7.6 |
| Temperature | 76-82°F |
| Tank Size | 20 Gallons |
| Size | 2.5″ |
| Lifespan | 5-6 Years |
Sparkling Gourami
Sparkling gouramis are silver in color with a variety of patterns, including spots and stripes of varying colors such as red, brown, blue, and green. They shimmer in the light and are usually very fast swimmers, so they appear as darting sparkles in the water. They prefer a lot of vegetation in order to maintain low levels of stress and lots of good hiding places.
Sparkling gouramis need a sufficient amount of protein in their diet, so it’s important to feed them plenty of daphnia, bloodworms, and artemia. In order to receive a well-balanced diet, you should also supplement with vegetables.
These little fishes are easy to maintain and great for beginner aquarists as they prefer slightly acidic to neutral pH waters, can tolerate a wide range of warm temperatures, and need soft water hardness.
| Name | Sparkling Gourami |
| pH | 6.0-7.0 |
| Temperature | 76-82°F |
| Tank Size | 10 Gallons |
| Size | 1.5″ |
| Lifespan | 4-5 Years |
(Check out the best tank mates for gourami’s!)
Giant Gourami (Osphronemus goramy)
Due to their large size of around 16 inches, caring for Giant Gouramis is quite different. It’s important to provide them with a spacious aquarium with plenty of room to swim and explore. Add large, sturdy plants and floating plants to recreate their natural habitat.
And remember, efficient filtration and regular water changes are also crucial for maintaining the best water quality for them too.
It’s also important to remember that feeding Giant Gouramis is a bit different from other gouramis. They mostly eat plants and algae in the wild, so give them veggies like lettuce, spinach, and peas. However, you can also give them algae-based flake food, freeze-dried bloodworms, and brine shrimp for variety.
Since Giant Gouramis are large fish, you need to carefully choose tankmates that can handle their size and energy. Good tankmates include big barbs, cichlids, catfish, and other peaceful, large fish. Avoid putting them with small or delicate fish that might become their meal or get scared of your Giant Gouramis.
| Name | Giant Gourami |
| pH | 6.5-8.0 |
| Temperature | 68-86°F |
| Tank Size | 200 Gallons |
| Size | 2.8″ |
| Lifespan | 10 Years |
Gold Gourami (Trichopodus trichopterus)
Gold Gouramis are selectively bred three spot gouramis.
To take care of Gold Gouramis, make sure to have a tank with lots of plants where they can hide. So, put in floating, middle-level, and bottom-dwelling plants to make their tanks look nice. Also, add driftwood and rocks to give them even more places to hide in the tank.
Because Gold Gouramis breathe air from the surface, make sure there’s plenty of open water for them to do that. Lastly, use a filter with a gentle to moderate water flow because gouramis don’t like strong currents.
Feeding Gold Gouramis is easy because they eat a variety of foods. So, give them nutritious fish flakes or pellets as their main food as well as live and frozen foods like bloodworms, brine shrimp, or daphnia sometimes.
And to keep them healthy, feel free to give them some chopped veggies like blanched peas or spinach or zucchinis.
Gold Gouramis are peaceful and can live with lots of other fish. So, choose other calm fish like tetras, rasboras, guppies, and peaceful barbs as their tankmates. But stay away from fin-nippers or aggressive fish because they’ll stress out your Gold Gouramis.
| Name | Gold Gourami |
| pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| Temperature | 73-82°F |
| Tank Size | 30 Gallons |
| Size | 5″ |
| Lifespan | 5 Years |
Banded Gourami (Trichogaster fasciata)
To see your Banded Gouramis thrive, make sure that they’re kept in a quiet, densely planted tank with plenty of hiding spots. Add floating plants to give them shade and make them feel at home, as well as pieces of driftwood, branches, and rocks for more hiding places.
Banded Gouramis are omnivores, so feeding them isn’t complicated. Give them fish flakes or pellets made for labyrinth fish as their main diet. You can also feed them live or frozen foods like brine shrimp, bloodworms, or daphnia occasionally as treats.
And for additional variety, they’ll be happy to eat vegetables such as blanched spinach or lettuce.
Banded Gouramis are known as slow-moving fish. So, when choosing tankmates, it’s best to pair them with other fish with similar water parameters and personalities. Some great examples are Plecos, peaceful barbs, and mystery snails. Just be careful not to put them with fish that like to nip fins or are too aggressive.
| Name | Banded Gourami |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| Temperature | 70-82°F |
| Tank Size | 30 Gallons |
| Size | 4″ |
| Lifespan | 4 Years |
Opaline Gourami (Trichopodus trichopterus)
If you want to make your Opaline Gouramis happy in your tank, it’s important to add lots of plants. Add some floating and rooted plants to give them some hiding spots, and avoid strong water currents. To make them feel even more at home, add some driftwood and tree branches to replicate their natural habitat.
Opaline gouramis are very easy to feed since they’re not picky eaters. They’ll eat almost all kinds of food, so feel free to give them regular fish flakes and pellets, as well as fresh or frozen food like brine shrimp and bloodworms for additional nutrients.
Although Opaline gourami’s are generally peaceful, they can still get territorial with other dominant fish, causing problems in your tank. So, your best choice for their tank mates are peaceful fish like Barbs, Catfish, and Loaches.
| Name | Opaline Gourami |
| pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| Temperature | 73-82°F |
| Tank Size | 30 Gallons |
| Size | 5″ |
| Lifespan | 5 Years |
Croaking Gourami (Trichopsis vittata)
Croaking Gouramis thrive in heavily planted tanks with gentle water flow. Add some rooted plants and driftwood in their tank to provide hiding spots and make it look more natural, and use a darker substrate to make their vibrant colors stand out!
When it comes to feeding your Croaking Gouramis, it’s important to provide them with a mixed diet to keep them satisfied. You can easily achieve this by offering them a mix of different foods, from high-quality pellets and algae flakes to live or frozen foods like bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mosquito larvae.
Croaking Gouramis are shy, peaceful fish that can be kept with other non-aggressive tankmates like Rasboras, tetras, and some small catfish.
| Name | Croaking Gourami |
| pH | 6.0-8.0 |
| Temperature | 72-82°F |
| Tank Size | 10 Gallons |
| Size | 2″ |
| Lifespan | 2 Years |
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions that people have about the different types of gourami.
How Many Types of Gourami Are There?
There are over 130 different species of gourami representing 15 genera and 4 subfamilies. These freshwater fish are native to Asia but have become popular aquarium fish all over the world. Gouramis come in a variety of sizes, colors, and patterns and add flair to any fish tank.
Which Gouramis Are Aggressive?
Paradise gouramis tend to be very aggressive. Three spots, and kissing gouramis have also been known to display aggressive tendencies. Aggression in gouramis is mostly due to reproduction, whereas the males are aggressive towards other males during mating season, and females are aggressive in their protection of eggs.
It’s best to place aggressive species in an aquarium tank with larger, peaceful fish or by themselves so there is little chance of the aggressor harming themselves or other individuals who may inhabit the tank.
Recap
Gouramis come in all sizes, colors, and temperaments. Whether you are looking for a small 15-inch docile breed or a large 12-inch aggressive species, you can find these fish in all colors of the rainbow. It’s important to pay attention to their individual needs, however, in order to maintain optimal health not only for the gourami but other fish that may cohabitate.
Some gouramis are used to very acidic and soft water blackwater conditions, while others are hardy and can tolerate a wide range of pH, temperatures, and water hardness. Most gouramis eat both plant and animal, but some have preferences on either side of the diet spectrum. Whichever species you choose to raise, may sure you do your homework to give your gourami their best life possible.