What tank size does a Sparkling Gourami need?

A Sparkling Gourami needs an aquarium of at least 30 litres (7.9 US gallons) with a footprint at least 45 cm (17.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.

What water parameters does a Sparkling Gourami need?

Sparkling Gourami does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 6–7.5 and a general hardness of 2–12 °dGH.

What group size does a Sparkling Gourami need?

Sparkling Gourami is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Sparkling Gourami suitable for beginners?

Sparkling Gourami sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.

Species library

Sparkling Gourami

Trichopsis pumila

Osphronemidae

FishDifficulty: ●●●○○Data: well-established

📷 Dezinformator15 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

Sparkling Gourami — Trichopsis pumila — 📷 Dezinformator15 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

About

The sparkling gourami is a tiny, jewel-like labyrinth fish from the shallow, densely vegetated swamps, ditches and rice paddies of mainland Southeast Asia. Iridescent green-blue spangles across its body and red-flecked fins catch the light beautifully, and the fish is famous for its audible 'croaking' produced during interactions. Being small and delicate, it needs mature, gently filtered, soft and slightly acidic water in a well-planted nano tank with quiet, non-boisterous tankmates. It is a micropredator that hunts small live and frozen foods near cover.

Care

Keep a small group in a mature, planted nano tank at 22-28°C with soft, slightly acidic water and gentle flow. Feed small live/frozen foods; house with calm tankmates.

Diet

Micropredator/carnivore; baby brine shrimp, cyclops, daphnia and small worms.

Tankmate compatibility

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.

All the methods, with diagrams

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Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Sparkling Gourami need?: A Sparkling Gourami needs an aquarium of at least 30 litres (7.9 US gallons) with a footprint at least 45 cm (17.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
What water parameters does a Sparkling Gourami need?: Sparkling Gourami does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 6–7.5 and a general hardness of 2–12 °dGH.
What group size does a Sparkling Gourami need?: Sparkling Gourami is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
Is the Sparkling Gourami suitable for beginners?: Sparkling Gourami sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.

Sources

Water & tank

Temperature22–28°C

Optimal temp.24–27°C

pH6–7.5

Hardness (GH)2–12°d

Carbonate (KH)1–8°d

Adult size4 cm

Min. volume≥ 30 L

Min. tank length≥ 45 cm

Group size≥ 6

Swimming zoneMid

TemperamentPeaceful

Water typeFreshwater

FlowLow

Lifespan~4 yrs

Try in the calculator