Dwarf Gourami: Tips For Keeping And Breeding Them
The Dwarf Gourami (Colisa Lalia) is the most popular of all gouramis found in the hobby today. Their bright colors and peaceful temperment make them an attractive addition to a community tank. They are bubble nest builders and build nests of bubbles at the water's surface to hold their eggs after spawning. Color variants are Neon Blue Dwarf Gouramis, Powder Blue and Neon Red Dwarf Gouramis.
Learn more about Dwarf Gouramis and other freshwater aquarium fish at Bala Shark Bay Aquarium Fish Resource.
Dwarf Gourami Building Bubble Nest
Dwarf Gourami making bubble nest
Dwarf gourami making a bubble nest - ripped up all my hair grass!
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Male Dwarf Gourami
A Healthy & Happy Dwarf Gourami
A healthy and happy Dwarf Gourami shows very striking color that will add beauty to any aquarium. There are certain things that should be done to ensure a Dwarf Gourami is always showing it's most vibrant colors.Water conditions must be kept optimal. Dwarf Gouramis will not tolerate poor water conditions. Keep water temperature between 72 - 79 F with a pH range between 6.8 - 7.5. Water surface should be fairly still and there should be some floating plants to dim the light. Use proper filtration and do regular partial water changes to keep tank water clean and optimal.
Dwarf Gouramis are best kept in pairs of one female for every male. Because of their shy, peaceful nature, Dwarf Gouramis should not be kept with boisterous tank mates. Avoid extremely active Barbs, Danios and Tetras. Do not mix them with some of the more territorial Gouramis like Blue, Opaline or Gold Gouramis.
Keeping them with less active tank mates and in optimal water conditions will insure that they will be happy, healthy and always display bright colors.
Different Color Variants of Dwarf Gouramis
- Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami
- Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami
- Flame Red or Neon Red Dwarf Gourami
The Dominant Male Dwarf Gourami
Occasionally a male Dwarf Gourami may show signs of being a dominant male. He may show aggression towards other Gouramis and bully other males in the aquarium. This is not an abnormal thing and there are a few things that can be done to reduce the aggression.Providing plants and different types of hiding places will help divide up the tank, provide shelter for the Gouramis on the receiving end of the aggression and will give different areas for the dominant male to choose as his territory. In tanks with only males it is a good idea to add one female for every male Dwarf Gourami. This will help divide the aggression of the dominant male. Keeping both males and females is always a good idea even if there isn't a dominant male Dwarf Gourami in the aquarium.
Tips For Dwarf Gourami Breeding
Once the bubble nest has been built the male and female will spawn then the male will place the eggs in the nest to be guarded. The female should be removed at this point.
The eggs will hatch after about 24 hours and the fry are free swimming about 24 hours after hatching. The male should be removed at this point because he will eat the fry. Feed the fry infusoria, baby brine shrimp and later, pulverized flakes.
Learn More About Dwarf Gouramis
The Dwarf Gourami Aquarium
- Fish Tank and Stand
- The most important part is the fish tank itself. The size of the tank will have a very big impact on the amount of Dwarf Gouramis that can be kept and how many fry can be raised in the tank before it becomes crowded. The stand needs to be sturdy and able to support the weight of the tank when it is full.
- Hood and Lighting
- The hood provides a cover for the tank and will also hold the lights for the tank. Some hoods have filters built into them.
- Aquarium Heater
- Dwarf Gouramis are warm water dwelling fish that prefer temperatures closer between 72 and 79 degrees. They prefer temperatures in the low 80s for breeding. A heater is necessary to maintain the right temperature for the Dwarf Gouramis to live in. There are many different types and styles of heaters each with their own special benefits.
- Aquarium Filter
- In an enclosed aquarium environment, waste products can build up quickly. Good filtration is a must for any tank that will be the home to Dwarf Gouramis. A good filter will remove the toxins from the water and help keep the water conditions optimal for keeping and breeding Dwarf Gouramis.
- Home Aquarium Supplies
- Not just supplies. This site gives you tips on buying all the right equipment to set up a fish tank. Be sure to visit this site if you're looking at setting up a dwarf gourami aquarium.
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In Summary
- Dwarf Gouramis are the most popular Gourami in the hobby.
- Color variants are the Flame Red, Powder Blue and Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami
- Dwarf Gourmis will not tolerate poor water conditions
- Keep them in pairs and with other peaceful fish
- They are bubble nest builders and the male builds a nest before spawning
What is the Coolest Gourami?
Get Answers to Questions About Dwarf Gouramis
If you have any questions about anything to do with Dwarf Gouramis or any other aquarium fish there is one great place to ask questions and get answers. Yahoo Answers is a place where you can ask questions and then other people can give their advice to try to answer your questions. Follow me on Yahoo Answers.
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Dwarf Gourami on Wikipedia
The dwarf gourami, Colisa lalia, has an almost translucent blue color, with vertical red to dark orange stripes. In its native range, it is dried for food and kept as an aquarium fish. It has become highly popular for aquaria.
Dwarf gouramis from Singapore may carry dwarf gourami iridovirus. Recent research has shown that 22% of Singapore Colisa lalia carry this virus.
Dwarf Gourami Fish Vids
Labrynth Fish on Wikipedia
The gourami or gouramis are a family, Osphronemidae, of freshwater perciform fishes. The fish are native to Asia, from Pakistan and India to the Malay Archipelago and north-easterly towards Korea. "Gouramis" is an example of a redundant plural. Gourami is already plural, in its original language.
The most famous species of gourami is the "kissing gourami", who do literally lock their exaggerated lips to each other in social displays relating to mating, as a habit of aggression toward other fish of any species, and for seeking food.
Many gouramis have an elongated ray at the front of their pelvic fins. Many species show parental care: some are mouthbrooders, and others, like the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), build bubble nests. Currently, about 90 species are recognised, placed in 4 subfamilies and about 15 genera.
The name Polyacanthidae has also been used for this family. Some fish now classified as gouramis were previously placed in family Anabantidae. The subfamily Belontiinae was recently demoted from the family Belontiidae. As labyrinth fishes, gouramis have a lung-like labyrinth organ that allows them to gulp air and use atmospheric oxygen. This organ is a vital innovation for fishes that often inhabit warm, shallow, oxygen-poor water.
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WebGazelle wrote...
Dwarf Gouramis actually are much happier if they are living in groups of males and females. One male dwarf gourami may tend to be shy and hide a lot, especially if there are more boisterous fish in the tank. I would try to have at least one male and one female together in a tank.
Big chain pet stores don't carry females because they are dull in color and just don't sell as well as the males. You can usually find females at private pet stores or you can ask at private stores if they will get some in.
Posted August 29, 2008
WhippetTalk wrote...
I brought home a male dwarf gourami last night with 4 Juli Cory Cats. I wanted both a male and female but was told by the shop that only males are sold. The breeders won't sell females? Is that true?
Posted August 29, 2008
I leave my footprints here. Nice lens. 5 stars of course.
Posted May 18, 2008
EliteClubs wrote...
This lens is great, very informative, thank you.
Eliteclubs
Email Marketing Elite
Posted April 17, 2008
kiwisoutback wrote...
Great lens! I used to have Gouramis in a community tank. The store I purchased them at advised me they'd be perfect to keep with neon tetras, zebra danios, etc, and boy were they wrong! The gourami loved to nibble and chase the tetras all over the place. They ate the fins right off! I experimented a few times, mixing gouramis with different species and I came to the personal conclusion that they were best by themselves.
Posted April 13, 2008
thomasz wrote...
Nice lens. great info. The pictures you have almost makes these fish look edible.
Posted February 06, 2008
Aika wrote...
beautiful fish.
well presented lens, thanks for sharing it up! 5 stars
Posted January 14, 2008
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