🐠 Gold Gourami Overview

🔹 Basic Info

• Scientific name: Trichopodus trichopterus (Gold variety)

• Common names: Gold Gourami, Golden Gourami

• Family: Osphronemidae

• Origin: Selectively bred variant of the Blue (Three Spot) Gourami — native species originate from Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia).

• Size: Up to 6 inches (15 cm)

• Lifespan: 4–7 years

🌿 Tank Requirements

• Minimum tank size: 30 gallons (larger is better — they like room to roam).

• Water temperature: 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)

• pH: 6.0–8.0

• Hardness: 5–35 dGH

• Filtration: Moderate, with low current — they prefer calm waters.

• Lighting: Moderate.

• Aquascape:

  • Heavily planted tank (both rooted and floating plants).

  • Open swimming areas.

  • Driftwood or caves for hiding.

  • Floating plants like duckweed or water lettuce create shade and comfort.

🍽️ Diet

Omnivorous — Gold Gouramis eat almost anything, but they thrive on variety:

• High-quality flakes or pellets

• Live or frozen foods: brine shrimp, bloodworms, mosquito larvae

• Vegetable matter: blanched spinach, peas, or spirulina-based foods

Feed small portions 2–3 times daily.

🧬 Behavior & Temperament

• Semi-aggressive — bolder and more territorial than the smaller gourami species (like the Honey Gourami).

• Males can be territorial, especially toward other male gouramis.

• Works best as a single centerpiece fish or in a large, well-structured tank with plenty of hiding spaces.

• Often curious and interactive with their owners.

• Like all gouramis, they have a labyrinth organ that allows them to breathe air directly from the surface.

🐣 Breeding Gold Gouramis

💧 Breeding Setup

• Tank: 20–30 gallons, shallow (6–8 inches of water).

• Temperature: 28–30 °C (82–86 °F).

• pH: ~7.0

• Decor: Floating plants or a small piece of Styrofoam to anchor the bubble nest.

• Use gentle filtration and a tight lid for humid air.

♂️ Courtship & Spawning

1. The male builds a bubble nest at the water’s surface.

2. He displays bright colors and courts the female.

3. During spawning, the male wraps around the female, collecting eggs and placing them in the nest.

4. Remove the female immediately afterward — the male will guard the eggs and become aggressive.

5. Eggs hatch in about 24–36 hours.

🐟 Fry Care

• Remove the male once fry become free-swimming (after ~3 days).

• Feed infusoria or liquid fry food, then baby brine shrimp as they grow.

• Keep water clean and warm, and ensure no strong current.

🤝 Good Tank Mates

✅ Compatible Species

Choose peaceful or mildly active fish that can tolerate a confident centerpiece:

• Tetras: black skirt, lemon, bleeding heart

• Rasboras: harlequin, scissortail

• Corydoras catfish

• Loaches: kuhli, zebra

• Plecos: bristlenose

• Rainbowfish

• Swordtails, mollies, platys (in larger tanks)

⚠️ Avoid

• Other male gouramis (territorial conflicts).

• Bettas (too similar in behavior).

• Fin-nippers: tiger barbs, serpae tetras.

• Aggressive cichlids or large fish that could bully them.

✨ Fun Facts

• The “Gold” coloration is a selectively bred mutation of the Blue/Three Spot Gourami — the spots are faint or absent, replaced by a rich yellow-gold hue.

• Males develop slightly longer, pointed dorsal fins, while females have shorter, rounder ones.

• Their calm yet bold personality makes them great for intermediate hobbyists.