1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Peaceful toward fish of similar size and calm even as a big adult.
354 species in our list are a good match.
Peaceful toward fish of similar size and calm even as a big adult. It will eat small fish that fit in its mouth, and may harass smaller gouramis.
Pellets, flakes, frozen foods and plenty of plant matter such as blanched spinach or lettuce.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Males develop pointed dorsal and anal fins and orange or red pelvic fins; females are plumper.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Bubble-nester · Moderate
Easy-to-breed bubblenester. The male builds a large bubble nest up to about 25 cm across among floating plants, gathers the eggs into it and guards them; remove the female after spawning.
Pick the largest, healthiest fish from a group of 6-8 or buy a bonded pair.
300 L+ tank or indoor pond with floating plants and lowered water level to 25 cm; strong lighting is not needed.
Warm water change, a rise to 28 C and heavy feeding with live and frozen food.
Up to 5,000 eggs (FishBase gives 1,000-10,000); they hatch in about 20-30 hours and the fry swim freely 4-5 days later.
Newly hatched brine shrimp, microworms, then powdered food; keep room air warm for the labyrinth organ. Remove the female after spawning.
A large gourami from the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, named for its zigzag snakeskin pattern. It is farmed as a food fish (sold dried in Thailand and used in fish soup), and farming has spread it to many countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia, where it is not native. It can make cracking sounds when breeding or defending territory.
British ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan described this gourami in 1910. It is an important food fish in Thailand and has been introduced to many other tropical countries.
First described by C. Tate Regan in 1910.
16 facts checked with sources
Often still sold as Trichogaster pectoralis (older combination). Osphronemus saigonensis is a synonym.
Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: genus Trichopodus · FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summaryLegacy has no family field. FishBase places the order as Anabantiformes.
FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summarySeriously Fish gives 30 cm SL (standard length); FishBase gives 25 cm TL max and 15 cm TL common. Larger well-sourced figure (30 cm SL) used per the size rule; aquarium fish are often smaller.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralis · FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summarySeriously Fish (preferred for husbandry) extends to 30 C; FishBase 23-28.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralis · FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summaryLegacy 6-8 is inside both ranges; Seriously Fish range recorded.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralis · FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summaryLegacy has no hardness. FishBase's 2-3 dH looks like a typo; Seriously Fish range used.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralis · FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summary120 x 30 cm base x 30 cm height = 108 L (Seriously Fish states ~108 litres). Legacy 300 L is more generous than the source minimum.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralisNo source gives a group size.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralisPeaceful but will eat fish small enough to swallow.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralisNo source names a swimming level.
FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summarySeriously Fish's difficulty panel rates it Easy.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralisLegacy has no range field. FishBase does not list Myanmar.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralis · FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summaryPointed dorsal and plumper female supported; "brighter belly colour" not found, the colour cue is the pelvic fins.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralisLegacy 1,000-5,000 eggs agrees.
Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralis · FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summaryLegacy implied it is native to Malaysia and Indonesia; sources list those as feral (introduced) populations.
FishBase: Trichopodus pectoralis summary · Seriously Fish: Trichopodus pectoralis