Chocolate Gourami
Sphaerichthys osphromenoides
Osphronemidae
About
The chocolate gourami is a small, shy labyrinth fish from the acidic blackwater peat swamps and forest streams of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. Rich brown with pale bars, it is one of the few maternal mouthbrooding anabantoids and one of the most demanding gouramis in the hobby. It languishes in ordinary hard tap water, so it thrives only in a dimly lit, densely planted blackwater setup with soft, warm, tannin-stained and scrupulously clean water, kept as a small group of its own kind.
Care
Advanced species: keep a small group of 6+ in a warm, dimly lit, heavily planted blackwater tank with soft, acidic, pristine water, tannins and leaf litter. Not a hardy community fish.
Diet
Shy micropredator; feed small live and frozen foods such as Artemia nauplii, daphnia, cyclops, grindal worms and micro bloodworm. May accept fine dry foods only once settled.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (6)
Possible with care (117)
Avoid (148)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Dorsal fin shapeStrong · from about 4 months
In most gouramis the dorsal fin ends differently between the sexes, and it can be read from outside the glass without touching the fish.
- The ovipositorStrong · from about 4 months
A small white tube at the vent, just behind the ventral fins, visible on a mature female from below or head-on. It reads as a single white dot.
- Extended finsA hint only · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Chocolate Gourami need?
- A Chocolate Gourami needs an aquarium of at least 60 litres (15.9 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Chocolate Gourami need?
- Chocolate Gourami does best at 24–30 °C (75.2–86 °F), pH 4–6.5 and a general hardness of 0–6 °dGH.
- What group size does a Chocolate Gourami need?
- Chocolate Gourami is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Chocolate Gourami suitable for beginners?
- Chocolate Gourami is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.