How to Care for a Dwarf Gourami

The beautiful, brilliantly colored dwarf gourami is a hardy, undemanding, easy-care addition to the peaceful community tank. Also known as the dwarf banded gourami, this 2-inch tropical fish is a good choice for the beginning aquarist, particularly if your tank is on the small side. Keep dwarf gouramis with nonaggressive tankmates that aren't larger than they are since they're easily bullied. With good care, you can expect your dwarf gourami to live three or four years.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium heater
  • Live plants
  • Artificial plants
  • Aquarium decorations
  • Tropical fish flakes
  • Goldfish flakes
  • Freeze-dried bloodworms
  • Plankton
  • Live brine shrimp
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a warm room for the aquarium you wish to keep the dwarf gourami in. The air temperature should be as close to the temperature of the water as possible. This is a labyrinth fish, which means that it has highly specialized breathing organs that can be easily damaged by exposure to rapid extremes in temperature.

    • 2

      Set the aquarium heater between 75 and 82.5 degrees F. Keep the temperature in the room where the tank is kept as close as possible to the water temperature to avoid damaging the dwarf gourami's breathing structures.

    • 3

      Maintain aquarium pH between 6.0 and 8.0.

    • 4

      Add plenty of live and artificial plants and other decorations to your aquarium. The dwarf gourami tends to be a bit shy, and will be happiest with lots of places to hide. The fish is omnivorous and will nibble on some live plants, so choose some of the tougher varieties such as Java Moss. Dwarf gouramis also appreciate some floating plants to sneak into from time to time.

    • 5

      Offer this omnivore a variety of quality foods. The diet should include tropical fish and goldfish flakes, freeze-dried bloodworms and plankton, and live brine shrimp.

    • 6

      Change at least 10 percent of the aquarium water weekly, and 25 percent if at all possible. Dwarf gouramis are very sensitive to water quality.

    • 7

      Limit activity in the room where your dwarf gourami lives, it at all possible. These fish are shy, and can quickly become skittish and highly reluctant to come out of hiding if there's excessive movement in the area.