Three spot gourami
Trichopodus trichopterus
The most common gourami: hardy, omnivorous and an air breather, though males can turn quarrelsome, especially when spawning.
Key facts
- Body length
- 5.9 in without fins
- Minimum tank
- 26 gallons
- Group
- Alone is fine
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Care level
- 1 / 5
- Lifespan
- Not well documented
- Diet
- Flakes, pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, vegetables
- Origin
- Mekong basin, Southeast Asia
- Hardier than95%
- Bigger than73%
- Calmer than28%
Water: their range vs yours
Three spot gourami tank mates
- AngelfishGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Blood parrot cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Blue dolphin cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Bristlenose plecoGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Chinese algae eaterGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Clown loachGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Common plecoGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Convict cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- DiscusGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Firemouth cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Golden mbunaGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Jewel cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Bronze coryThree spot gourami can eat young or small Bronze cory; adults are big enough to be safe.Risky
- DemasoniThree spot gourami can eat young or small Demasoni; adults are big enough to be safe.Risky
- Fairy cichlidThree spot gourami can eat young or small Fairy cichlid (Brichardi); adults are big enough to be safe.Risky
- GoldfishGoldfish needs cool water; three spot gouramis need tropical heat.Risky
- KribensisThree spot gourami eats small fish: Kribensis (PROP).Risky
- Kuhli loachThree spot gourami eats small fish: Kuhli loach (PROP).Risky
- Neon tetraThree spot gourami can eat Neon tetra: prey body depth 0.7 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
- Harlequin rasboraThree spot gourami can eat Harlequin rasbora: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
- Fancy guppyThree spot gourami can eat Fancy guppy: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
- Panda corydorasThree spot gourami can eat Panda corydoras: prey body depth 2.4 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
- OtocinclusThree spot gourami can eat Otocinclus: prey body depth 0.7 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
- Cherry shrimpThree spot gourami can eat Cherry shrimp: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
How we check
The numbers the tank model uses for three spot gouramis: water as ideal and tolerated ranges, bioload from adult mass, space, flow and how they act on other species.
- Standard length
- 15 cm (SL)
- Adult mass
- 146.02 g
- Bioload at 25 °C
- 19.89 BU
- Min. water
- 81 L net
- Min. footprint
- 90 × 30 cm per pair
- Group
- 1+ (best 3)
- Swims in
- top, middle
- Flow
- low
- Body / fins
- labyrinth, normal fins
- Diet type
- omnivore
- Fin nipper
- none
- Sensitive to
- —
Sources: Seriously Fish: Trichopodus trichopterus · FishBase: Trichopodus trichopterus
Care notes
Three spot gouramis live in slow, weedy waters and flooded forests around the Mekong and grow to about 6 inches. Blue, opaline, gold and platinum fish are all colour forms of this species.
Keep one male with two females in a 3-foot tank of 20 gallons or more, with a lid and open access to the surface. Some males get mean with age; sturdy barbs, larger tetras and loaches make good tank mates.
Questions
What size tank does a three spot gourami need?
At least 26 gallons (81 litres of water after decor). Adults reach about 5.9 inches without fins.
How many three spot gouramis should be kept together?
One is fine. They do not need company of their own kind.
What water do three spot gouramis need?
75–86 °F, pH 6–8 and 3–35 dGH. Three spot gouramis come from Mekong basin, Southeast Asia.
How long do three spot gouramis live?
Not well documented with good care.
What fish can live with three spot gouramis?
Good tank mates include Angelfish, Blood parrot cichlid, Blue dolphin cichlid, Bristlenose pleco and Chinese algae eater. Each is checked both ways for size, fin nipping, temperament, territory and shared water.