
Dwarf gourami
Trichogaster lalius
It drifts up top, feeling out everything ahead with long fin threads.
The Dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius) is a tropical freshwater fish of the family Osphronemidae. It swims in midwater, close to the bottom. Adults grow to about 7.5 cm; the largest on record measured 9.5 cm (total length). In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 60 cm long and water at 23–28 °C.
- Size
- 7.5 cm
- Smallest tank
- 60 cm
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C
- Care
- Moderate
In the aquarium
Temperature23–28 °C
pH6.0–7.8
Hardness3–15 °dGH
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Activity
- Calm
- Water layer
- Surface
- Group
- Lives on its own
- Plants
- Plant safe
These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.
Which tank it fits
- Nano60 cm · 65 litres10 of them
- Standard90 cm · 180 litres30 of them
- Wide120 cm · 300 litres50 of them
- Living room180 cm · 650 litres108 of them
- Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres200 of them
- Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres240 of them
Who it lives with
Gets along64 species
- Molly
- Congo tetra
- Bronze corydoras
- Betta (Siamese fighting fish)
- Silver hatchetfish
- Scissortail rasbora
- Pearl danio
- Dwarf chain loach
- Emperor tetra
- Zebra danio
- Giant danio
- Cherry barb
- Platy
- Boesemani rainbowfish
- Cardinal tetra
- Lemon tetra
- Penguin tetra
- Harlequin rasbora
- Black neon tetra
- Glowlight tetra
- Guppy
- Sailfin molly
- Neon tetra
- Glowlight danio
Caution32 species
Both semi-aggressive
- Black skirt tetra
- Diamond tetra
- Serpae tetra
- Swordtail
- Freshwater angelfish
- Cockatoo cichlid
- Yellow lab cichlid
- Multies shell dweller
- Julidochromis
- African butterflyfish
- Three spot gourami
- Dwarf puffer
- Yoyo loach
- Peacock cichlid
- Firemouth cichlid
- Rainbow shark
- Severum
- Kissing gourami
- Frontosa
- Oscar
- Black ghost knifefish
Not together3 species
Water temperatures do not overlap
These two do not get along
In the wild
- Water type
- Freshwater
- Climate zone
- Tropical
- Habitat
- Midwater, close to the bottom
- Largest on record
- 9.5 cmtotal length
- Aquarium trade
- Very common
Conservation status
Classification
- OrderAnabantiformes
- FamilyOsphronemidae
- GenusTrichogaster
- SpeciesTrichogaster lalius
- Described byBuchanan-Hamilton, 1822
In other languages
- English
- Banded Gourami
- German
- Zwergfadenfisch
- Spanish
- gurami enano
- Russian
- Полосатая колиза
- Chinese
- 拉利毛足鱸
Quick answers
- Dwarf gourami size: how big does it get?
- Adults reach about 7.5 cm. The largest on record measured 9.5 cm (total length). Record sizes among the 4 Trichogaster species on LumaReef: 9 cm (Thick-lip Gourami) to 13.7 cm (Honey gourami).
- Dwarf gourami tank size: what is the minimum?
- A tank at least 60 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Nano tank or larger.
- Dwarf gourami water parameters: what does it need?
- Temperature 23–28 °C, pH 6.0–7.8, hardness 3–15 °dGH. Close to what most Trichogaster on LumaReef need (22–28 °C).
- Dwarf gourami tank mates: what can it live with?
- It gets along with 64 of the 99 freshwater species in the catalogue, such as Molly, Congo tetra, and Bronze corydoras.
- Dwarf gourami: alone or in a group?
- It can be kept on its own.
- Dwarf gourami and plants: is it plant safe?
- Yes, it leaves plants alone.
Similar species
Sources
Dwarf gourami: compiled from these references.









