Giant gourami care
Osphronemus goramy · Southeast Asia: the Mekong, Chao Phraya and rivers of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and Borneo
Giant gouramis are sold as 3-inch juveniles and grow to about 18 inches, sometimes much more, within a few years.
- Tank size
- 300 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 86 °F (22 to 30 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 18 in (most adults; up to about 31 in recorded)
- pH
- 6.5 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 5 to 25 dGH
- Lifespan
- 15 to 20 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
Even a 210 gallon is too small
72½ × 24½ × 29⅝ in outsideHow to keep giant gouramis
Giant gouramis are sold as 3-inch juveniles and grow to about 18 inches, sometimes much more, within a few years. An adult needs a tank of 300 gallons or more, or a heated indoor pond; they are long-lived and tame, and learn their keeper.
Diet: Omnivore: large pellets, vegetables, fruit, worms. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Giant 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.
Common pleco
18 in · 125+ gal · 72–82 °F
Royal pleco
17 in · 125+ gal · 72–82 °F
Black ghost knifefish
20 in · 125+ gal · 73–82 °F
Sailfin pleco
20 in · 150+ gal · 72–82 °F
Zig-zag eel
20 in · 55+ gal · 72–82 °F
Ropefish
15 in · 55+ gal · 75–82 °F
Senegal bichir
14 in · 75+ gal · 75–84 °F
Ornate bichir
24 in · 180+ gal · 75–82 °F
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Adult giant gouramis eat fish under about 3 in; neon tetras grow to 1.6 in.
Cardinal tetra: Adult giant gouramis eat fish under about 3 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Black neon tetra: Adult giant gouramis eat fish under about 3 in; black neon tetras grow to 1.5 in.
Green neon tetra: Adult giant gouramis eat fish under about 3 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult giant gouramis eat fish under about 3 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Glowlight tetra: Adult giant gouramis eat fish under about 3 in; glowlight tetras grow to 1.5 in.
What a giant gourami tank needs
A tank of 300 US gallons or more with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Fluval FX6
Rated by the maker for up to 400 US gal, which covers a 300 gallon giant gourami tank without being built for a far bigger one.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding giant 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 86 °F.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common giant gourami problems
- No standard aquarium is large enough for an adult; plan the tank before buying a juvenile.
- Small fish become food as they grow.
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: Osphronemus goramy. 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.
- Giant gourami George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Common pleco Richwales, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Royal pleco Neale Monks at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black ghost knifefish Vassil, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sailfin pleco AnatolyPm, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Zig-zag eel Adolsomee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ropefish Michał Zalewski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Senegal bichir Zhyla at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ornate bichir Bloopityboop, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Betta ivabalk (Pixabay), CC0, 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
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