Pearl gourami

Pearl gourami hail from the slow-moving waters and peat swamps of Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Growing up to 12cm in length, these stunning freshwater fish are adored for their round, pearl like dots that cover their shimmering bodies and the dark, horizontal band that runs across them. Pearl gourami can be kept as a single specimen in a community tank, however they thrive best when kept in male – female pairs or small groups (one male to two females) as they are highly social.

Males can pester females during breeding, hence keeping more females to males can reduce stress on females. To mimic their natural environment, consider lots of live plants in your aquarium, Pearl gourami appreciate floating plants to reduce the intensity of lighting, as well as taller plants like Java fern and anubias in the background.

Also consider bogwood and caves to break up lines of sight, provide hiding places and offer clear territory boundaries. A dark substrate will illuminate the intensity of their shimmering bodies. Pearl gourami are labyrinth fish, they can absorb atmospheric oxygen from the surface of the water, for this reason, make sure that there is space to do this within the floating plants, be sure to make sure that the lid of the aquarium is tight shut so that the air they breathe in is warm and moist. Pearl gourami thrive best with a very gentle flow, mimicking the natural slow moving waters of their natural habitats.

In store we feed our Pearl gourami EBO Pro Soft Artemia, Spirulina and Mussel as well as frozen and live foods such as daphnia and bloodworm.