Moonlight Gourami

Trichogaster microlepis

The Silver Ghost (5-6 inches / 12-15 cm). The Moonlight Gourami is a breathtaking, understated masterpiece of nature. It lacks the neon stripes or bright reds of other fish; instead, its entire deep-bodied form is covered in microscopic scales that create a solid, flawless, metallic silver sheen—like a polished silver coin reflecting moonlight. It possesses incredibly long, reddish, thread-like pelvic fins (feelers) that it actively uses to touch, taste, and explore its surroundings.

Family: Osphronemidae
Origin: Sud-est Asiatico (Cambogia, Thailandia)
Tank use: Used in 0 tanks

Temperature

24 °C - 28 °C

6 - 7.5

Water type

Freshwater

Tank level

Surface and middle

Adult size

15 cm

Care and observations

Tank Setup and Floating Cover:

The Canopy Mandate. They grow large (up to 6 inches) and demand tanks of at least 40-50 gallons. Because they are Labyrinth fish (meaning they must gulp atmospheric air from the surface to survive), you MUST leave a humid layer of warm air between the water and the lid. THE FEAR MISTAKE: They are prey animals from overgrown swamps. If you force them to swim in an open, brightly lit tank with no cover, they will suffer extreme stress and wash out to a dull, sickly gray. You MUST provide thick floating plants (Duckweed, Salvinia, Water Lettuce) to make them feel safe enough to swim in the open.

Feeding:

The Surface Feeder. They have small, upturned mouths perfect for plucking bugs off the surface. They happily accept high-quality floating flakes and pellets. To keep them healthy, supplement heavily with frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp.

Compatibility and The 'Feeler' Danger:

The Gentle Giant. They are incredibly peaceful, making them the ultimate centerpiece for a calm, Asian-themed community tank (perfect with Harlequin Rasboras and Kuhli Loaches). THE FATAL ERROR: Never, ever keep them with fin-nipping fish like Tiger Barbs or Serpae Tetras. The aggressive fish will mistake the Gourami's long, delicate, sweeping 'feelers' (tentacles) for worms and ruthlessly bite them off, causing crippling stress and infection.

Fish profile

Tank level: Surface and middle
Adult size: 15 cm
GH: 2 dGH - 15 dGH
KH: n/a
TDS: n/a
Conductivity: n/a

Image gallery

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

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