Looking for a beautiful fish for your tropical aquarium? Dwarf gourami are colorful and hardy — which makes them a fantastic choice if you are a beginning hobbyist. You may see these fish called blue dwarf gourami, sunset gourami, powder blue gourami, or neon dwarf gourami. As you might guess, the names generally indicate color.
It is the male gourami that has the amazing colors — females are often gray in appearance. Males come in a wide range of colors, from bright blues to warm oranges and fiery reds. You’ll often find your dwarf gourami swimming in the middle and top of the tank. This fish lives (on average) between three and four years.
Dwarf gourami get their name because they grow only to around three inches (eight centimeters) in length. They are peaceful fish that live well in tanks with others. You might see problems crowding too many dwarf gourami into a small tank — they can become territorial. But with plenty of space to roam, dwarf gourami will live peacefully with many other breeds. A ten gallon tank is good for starters, but if you’re planning to have more fish, you’ll want to upgrade to a larger tank.
Feed your dwarf gourami a varied diet. They will accept most fish food, including flakes, freeze dried food, frozen food, and live food like blood worms or brine shrimp. If the diet isn’t varied enough, you may notice the color of your dwarf gourami starting to fade. They aren’t picky eaters in general, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble offering a variety of different foods.
Tank basics for dwarf gourami:
- pH levels between 6 and 8
- Temperature between 77 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit (25 and 28 degrees Celsius)
- Water hardness between 5 and 20 degrees
It can be difficult to get your dwarf gourami to breed. Look for bubble nests — this is where the female gourami will drop their eggs.