Dwarf Gourami

Trichogaster lalius

The Dwarf Gourami (*Trichogaster lalius*) is one of the most famous and aesthetically seductive tropical fish in the world. Its tall, flat and round shape is enhanced by a zebra-like coat where fluorescent neon-blue stripes alternate in a perfect pattern with dark red and deep orange diagonal bands. There are very famous commercial variants such as the 'Neon Blue' or the 'Powder Blue'. Unfortunately, behind this living-jewel appearance hides one of the most serious modern fishkeeping tragedies: intensive Asian breeding has irretrievably ruined the genetics of the species, making it a very fragile fish, with a very short life and an almost certain victim of lethal viral diseases.

Family: Osphronemidae
Origin: Sud-est asiatico (India settentrionale, Bangladesh e Pakistan, diffuso in paludi e fiumi lenti)
Tank use: Used in 0 tanks

Temperature

22 °C - 27 °C

6 - 7.5

Water type

Freshwater

Tank level

Zona superiore e media. Predilige muoversi tra i lunghi steli delle piante palustri o nel sottobosco delle galleggianti.

Adult size

7 cm

Description

The Disappearance of Females:

It is almost impossible to buy a female of this species in physical stores. Females are genetically silver-grey with no trace of the brilliant blue or red colors of the males. For this reason, Asian fish farms refuse to export them and shopkeepers do not order them because they do not attract customers. Therefore, the market is flooded solely with solitary males.

Care and observations

The Curse of the Iridovirus (DGIV):

This is the reason why you should not buy this fish. It is estimated that over 50-60% of Dwarf Gouramis coming from large Asian distribution centers are carriers of an incurable virus: the Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus (DGIV). When you insert the fish into the aquarium, due to stress, the virus explodes. Within a few weeks the fish will discolor, stop eating and fill with terrifying sores and ulcers on its body (necrosis), before dying. There is no cure and if it happens the fish must be euthanized to stop its suffering.

War Between the Same Kind (Never 2 Males):

If you ignore the warnings and want this splendid fish, buy ONLY ONE. Males are very intolerant of each other. Two colored males (in the absence of grey females) in a 60-liter (15-gallon) tank will engage in a war of nerves and chases that will invariably end with the defeated fish stressed to death in a corner, which will stop feeding until disease takes over.

Fast Flows Forbidden:

Their strange "flat disc" shape makes them slow and laborious swimmers. If you have a strong current in the tank caused by a hang-on-back filter or wave makers, the Dwarf Gourami will physically tire of swimming and remain exhausted on the bottom. Keep the water still like a pond.

Fish profile

Temperament: Timido ma altamente intollerante verso conspecifici maschili. Due maschi di Gurami Nano in 60 litri si combatteranno a morte o fino a far ammalare gravemente di stress il sottomesso. In fase riproduttiva possono diventare veri despoti anche verso pesci di altre specie.
Diet: Onnivoro. Accetta scaglie generiche, ma essendo incline a mortali occlusioni intestinali (Spine Deformation), la dieta deve essere arricchita con cibi vivi/congelati (Daphnia, Artemia) per l'azione lassativa e materiale vegetale fibroso.
Tank level: Zona superiore e media. Predilige muoversi tra i lunghi steli delle piante palustri o nel sottobosco delle galleggianti.
Minimum group: 1
Adult size: 7 cm
Minimum tank: 60 L
GH: 4 dGH - 15 dGH
KH: n/a
TDS: n/a
Conductivity: n/a
Sex ratio: Singolo esemplare o Coppia (solo in acquari oltre 80cm densamente piantumati). Il maschio sfoggia l'iconica colorazione fluo neon rossa e azzurra; la femmina è un grigio/argenteo completamente monocromatico, spesso non importata perché considerata 'brutta' per la vendita.
Feeding frequency: 1 volta al giorno (molto attenti al surmenage alimentare).
Bioload: Basso
Flow: Corrente Nulla. Sono estremamente goffi e pesanti contro flussi rapidi.
Reproduction: Bubble nesters prodigiosi. Aggiungono spesso frammenti di piante (Riccia fluitans o sfagno) alla schiuma galleggiante per rinforzare il nido. Il maschio 'stritolerà' la femmina sotto il nido. Avviso: l'allevamento dei minuscoli avannotti è frustrante e difficilissimo.
Compatibility: Specie controversa. Assolutamente incompatibile con pesci vivaci che 'mordono' i loro tentacoli tattili ventrali (Barbo Tigre). Evitare anche pesci iperattivi. Consigliata la convivenza serena unicamente con piccolissime rasbore pacifiche e Otocinclus o tenuto in solitudine per ridurre il rischio scatenante l'Iridovirus.

Image gallery

Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.

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Live aquarium/observation photo from iNaturalist for Trichogaster lalius.