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Sparkling gourami, photographed on a transparent background

FreshwaterComing soon110 coinsCommon

Sparkling gourami

Trichopsis pumila

It hangs among the plants and crackles audibly when it starts to display.

The Sparkling gourami (Trichopsis pumila) is a tropical freshwater fish of the family Osphronemidae. It swims in midwater, close to the bottom. Adults grow to about 4 cm. In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 45 cm long and water at 23–28 °C.

Size
4 cm
Smallest tank
45 cm
Temperature
23–28 °C
Care
Moderate

In the aquarium

Temperature23–28 °C
pH6.0–7.8
Hardness3–15 °dGH
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Calm
Water layer
Mid water
Group
Happiest in a group of 6 or more
Plants
Plant safe
Drawn to scale in a 45 cm tank

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 litres26 of them
  • Standard90 cm · 180 litres72 of them
  • Wide120 cm · 300 litres120 of them
  • Living room180 cm · 650 litres260 of them
  • Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres480 of them
  • Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres576 of them

Who it lives with

In the wild

Water type
Freshwater
Climate zone
Tropical
Habitat
Midwater, close to the bottom
Aquarium trade
Traded commercially

Conservation status

Classification

  1. OrderAnabantiformes
  2. FamilyOsphronemidae
  3. GenusTrichopsis
  4. SpeciesTrichopsis pumila

In other languages

German
Knurrender Zwerggurami
Russian
Карликовый гурами
Chinese
短攀鱸

Quick answers

Sparkling gourami size: how big does it get?
Adults reach about 4 cm. Record sizes among the 52 Osphronemidae species on LumaReef: 1.1 cm (Harvey's Licorice Gourami) to 70 cm (Giant Gourami).
Sparkling gourami tank size: what is the minimum?
A tank at least 45 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Nano tank or larger.
Sparkling gourami water parameters: what does it need?
Temperature 23–28 °C, pH 6.0–7.8, hardness 3–15 °dGH. Close to what most Osphronemidae on LumaReef need (22–28 °C).
Sparkling gourami tank mates: what can it live with?
It gets along with 80 of the 99 freshwater species in the catalogue, such as Black neon tetra, Serpae tetra, and Glowlight tetra.
Sparkling gourami: alone or in a group?
Keep at least 6 together.
Sparkling gourami and plants: is it plant safe?
Yes, it leaves plants alone.

All Osphronemidae speciesAll species A–Z

Sources

Sparkling gourami: compiled from these references.