Dwarf gourami
Trichogaster lalius
A bright little gourami popular with beginners; one male per tank, no bettas, and buy carefully, as imported fish often carry an incurable iridovirus.
Key facts
- Body length
- 3 in without fins
- Minimum tank
- 18 gallons
- Group
- Alone is fine
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Care level
- 3 / 5
- Lifespan
- Not well documented
- Diet
- Flakes, micro pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp
- Origin
- Pakistan, northern India and Bangladesh
- Hardier than35%
- Bigger than46%
- Calmer than28%
Water: their range vs yours
Dwarf gourami tank mates
- Neon tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Harlequin rasboraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Panda corydorasGets along in shared water.Good mates
- OtocinclusGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Cherry shrimpGets along in shared water.Good mates
- AngelfishGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Amano shrimpGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Black neon tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Black widow tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Blood parrot cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Bristlenose plecoGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Bronze coryGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Fancy guppyMales may harass bright guppies.Risky
- Tiger barbTiger barb nips fins; Dwarf gourami is vulnerable (slow swimmer). Risk is reduced: the group is at least the recommended size.Risky
- Chinese algae eaterChinese algae eater eats slow fish: Dwarf gourami (SF: присасывается к бокам крупных соседей, объедая слизь).Risky
- Firemouth cichlidFiremouth cichlid can eat young or small Dwarf gourami; adults are big enough to be safe.Risky
- GoldfishGoldfish can eat young or small Dwarf gourami; adults are big enough to be safe.Risky
- Serpae tetraSerpae tetra nips fins; Dwarf gourami is vulnerable (slow swimmer). Risk is reduced: the group is at least the recommended size.Risky
- BettaDwarf gourami attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Betta.Avoid
- Blue dolphin cichlidBlue dolphin cichlid can eat Dwarf gourami: prey body depth 1.8 cm ≤ mouth 6.3 cm.Avoid
- Convict cichlidConvict cichlid can eat Dwarf gourami: prey body depth 1.8 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
- Honey gouramiDwarf gourami attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Honey gourami.Avoid
- Iridescent sharkIridescent shark can eat Dwarf gourami: prey body depth 1.8 cm ≤ mouth 32.5 cm.Avoid
- Jewel cichlidJewel cichlid can eat Dwarf gourami: prey body depth 1.8 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
How we check
The numbers the tank model uses for dwarf gouramis: water as ideal and tolerated ranges, bioload from adult mass, space, flow and how they act on other species.
- Standard length
- 7.5 cm (TL)
- Adult mass
- 5.97 g
- Bioload at 25 °C
- 2.92 BU
- Min. water
- 56 L net
- Min. footprint
- 60 × 30 cm per pair
- Group
- 1+ (best 2)
- Swims in
- top, middle
- Flow
- still
- Body / fins
- labyrinth, normal fins
- Diet type
- omnivore
- Fin nipper
- none
- Sensitive to
- —
Sources: Seriously Fish: Trichogaster lalius · FishBase: Trichogaster lalius
Care notes
Dwarf gouramis come from slow, weedy waters of Pakistan, northern India and Bangladesh and grow to about 3 inches. Males are territorial and aggressive to other labyrinth fish and to bright fish like guppies.
A 15-gallon tank is about right for a pair, with plants and calm surface water. Many imported fish carry dwarf gourami iridovirus, which cannot be treated and can spread to other species, so buy from a trusted seller.
Questions
What size tank does a dwarf gourami need?
At least 18 gallons (56 litres of water after decor). Adults reach about 3 inches without fins.
How many dwarf gouramis should be kept together?
One is fine. They do not need company of their own kind.
What water do dwarf gouramis need?
72–81 °F, pH 6–7.5 and 2–18 dGH. Dwarf gouramis come from Pakistan, northern India and Bangladesh.
How long do dwarf gouramis live?
Not well documented with good care.
What fish can live with dwarf gouramis?
Good tank mates include Neon tetra, Harlequin rasbora, Panda corydoras, Otocinclus and Cherry shrimp. Each is checked both ways for size, fin nipping, temperament, territory and shared water.