Croaking gourami care
Trichopsis vittata · Ponds, canals and rice paddies of Southeast Asia
The croaking gourami is a small, shy labyrinth fish named for its sound: when males display they croak by flicking their pectoral fins, loud enough to hear outside the tank.
- Tank size
- 15 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- 3 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 2.8 in (most stay near 2 in)
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 4 to 5 years
- Diet
- Micropredator
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 15 gallon
24¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep croaking gouramis
The croaking gourami is a small, shy labyrinth fish named for its sound: when males display they croak by flicking their pectoral fins, loud enough to hear outside the tank. Keep three or more in a planted 15 gallon or larger tank with floating plants, a dark substrate and small, peaceful tankmates, in a quiet room: it is very sensitive to noise.
Diet: Micropredator: small frozen and live foods, crushed flakes, micro pellets. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Top of the tank.
Croaking gourami tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Peppered corydoras
2.8 in · 20+ gal · 64–77 °F
Red eye tetra
2.8 in · 29+ gal · 73–82 °F
Gold barb
2.8 in · 20+ gal · 64–75 °F
Variatus platy
2.8 in · 15+ gal · 61–75 °F
Bronze corydoras
2.75 in · 20+ gal · 72–80 °F
Tiger barb
3 in · 29+ gal · 74–80 °F
German blue ram
3 in · 20+ gal · 78–85 °F
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
3 in · 20+ gal · 75–84 °F
Keep apart
Betta: Bettas fight with gouramis, their close relatives.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as croaking gouramis.
Red-tail dwarf puffer: Red-tail dwarf puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Everglades pygmy sunfish: Everglades pygmy sunfish belong in a tank of their own.
Axolotl: Axolotls belong in a tank of their own.
What a croaking gourami tank needs
A tank of 15 US gallons or more (such as the 15 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 5–15 gal
Rated by the maker for 5–15 US gal, which covers a 15 gallon croaking gourami tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger AquaFall Aquarium Filter, M
Rated by the maker for 12–17 US gal, which covers a 15 gallon croaking gourami tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Croaking gouramis need 72 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding croaking gouramis.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 82 °F.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common croaking gourami problems
- Cold air over the water can harm the labyrinth organ it breathes with: keep a lid on and the room warm.
- Bare tanks stress it; give it plants, floating cover and places to hide.
- Male bettas go after it: don’t keep the two together.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Trichopsis vittata. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Croaking gourami Howard Jelks, U.S. Geological Survey, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peppered corydoras Przemysław Malkowski, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red eye tetra Jhartshorn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Gold barb Fred Hsu, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Variatus platy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bronze corydoras Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Tiger barb Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Betta ivabalk (Pixabay), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red-tail dwarf puffer Neale Monks (English Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Everglades pygmy sunfish Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Axolotl LoKiLeCh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dwarf gourami Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Honey gourami Antoon Dommerholt (Dutch Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pearl gourami h080, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
.jpg){kind=link}
,_2017.jpg){kind=link}
