rm
Passport
- Family
- Large Gouramis
- Grows to
- 12 cm (4.7")
- Lives
- 5–8 years
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Care
- Beginner
- Swims
- Near the surface
- Keep
- One is fine
- Water
- 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
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Care requirements
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On record for Pearl Gourami: adult size, lifespan, minimum tank, temperature, ph, hardness, minimum group, diet, care level, swim level, tank length.
A figure that is not on record is left out rather than guessed. One marked Suggested comes from keeping knowledge rather than a page.
- Minimum tank 114 L / 30.0 US gal
- pH 5.5–8
- Hardness 2–30 dGH
- Diet omnivore
- Tank length 90 cm minimum
Care notes written from general aquarium knowledge, not from the cited sources.
About
Pearl gouramis are the best-tempered of the large gouramis and probably the handsomest. The body is a soft lavender-brown covered in a fine mosaic of pearly white spots, with a dark line running nose to tail and, on a mature male, a deep orange-red throat and long trailing dorsal.
They're calm in a way the blue and three-spot gouramis often aren't. Males display at each other without much real fighting, and they're safe with most community fish.
They're also long-lived and grow into their looks. A young pearl gourami in a shop is plain; the pearling and the red throat develop over months and keep improving.
Tank setup
Give your pearl gouramis height as well as length. They're tall-bodied fish that use the whole water column and rise to the surface to breathe.
Cover the tank, but leave it breathing. Labyrinth fish take air from the layer above the water, and that layer has to stay warm and humid.
Plant densely with plenty of floating cover. They come from shallow, vegetation-choked swamps and lowland streams, and they're far bolder under shade.
Keep one male with several females, or accept some display between males. It rarely turns serious in a big enough tank.
Soft, slightly acidic water suits them best, though they're tolerant of most tap water.
Feeding
Pearl gouramis are unfussy omnivores that feed at the surface and through the middle of the tank.
Feed a good flake or pellet as the base with regular frozen and live food. Bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp bring up the red on a male's throat markedly.
They're deliberate rather than fast feeders, so check they're getting their share in a busy tank.
Avoid: overfeeding, and avoid relying on dried food alone if you want the colour to develop.
Filtration and flow
A strong outlet is genuinely tiring for a tall-bodied labyrinth fish, so baffle it and let the top of the tank sit quiet.
Filter for waste rather than for turnover.
Keep the water clean and warm. They're hardy but they dislike sudden changes.
With plants
Pearl gouramis are entirely safe with plants and belong in a heavily planted tank.
Floating plants are the important addition. They shade the surface, settle the fish and give a male somewhere to anchor a bubble nest.
Tall stem plants and broad leaves suit their shape and give them the cover they use.
Health
They're among the hardier gouramis and notably less prone to the problems that dog dwarf gouramis.
Watch the long pelvic feelers. They're used to touch and explore, they're easily nipped by unsuitable tank mates, and damage to them is a good sign you have the wrong company in the tank.
Cold air above the water damages the labyrinth organ, so keep the tank covered in a cool room.
Breeding
Males build large, elaborate bubble nests at the surface, often incorporating bits of floating plant, and they're persistent about it.
The male wraps around the female beneath the nest and gathers the falling eggs, spitting them into the bubbles. He guards afterwards and turns on the female, so she needs removing once spawning finishes.
Fry are small and need infusoria before moving to baby brine shrimp. Keep the tank covered and the air warm while their labyrinth organs develop, which is the stage most gourami broods are lost at.
Tank mates
Avoid6
- Least Killifish Pearl Gourami grows to 12 cm against Least Killifish at 2 cm, big enough to eat it.
- Scarlet Badis Pearl Gourami grows to 12 cm against Scarlet Badis at 2 cm, big enough to eat it.
- Common Goldfish Common Goldfish is not safe with Pearl Gourami: common goldfish and large gouramis are a bad pairing.
- Discus Pearl Gourami and Discus do not mix: discus and large gouramis are a bad pairing.
- Fancy Goldfish Pearl Gourami and Fancy Goldfish do not mix: fancy goldfish and large gouramis are a bad pairing.
Only with care57
- Chinese Algae Eater Chinese Algae Eater is aggressive and Pearl Gourami is peaceful.
- Convict Cichlid Convict Cichlid is aggressive and Pearl Gourami is peaceful.
- Jewel Cichlid Jewel Cichlid is aggressive and Pearl Gourami is peaceful.
- Amano Shrimp Pearl Gourami is a risk to Amano Shrimp: large gouramis and shrimp and yabbies are a pairing to watch.
- Angelfish Pearl Gourami and Angelfish are an uneasy mix: angelfish and large gouramis are a pairing to watch.
No conflict is recorded with the other 43 species in the database, so nothing to flag. 2 species are not covered at all, so they could not be judged either way.