Frail gourami

Care at a glance

Overview

This demanding fish needs a mature 90 litre tank at 20 to 26 C with soft water around pH 6.0 to 7.5, dim light, and dense planting. Feed small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, artemia, and bloodworm, as it is a picky micropredator that rarely takes dried food. It is prone to disease and stress, so pristine water and a quiet setup are essential. Adults can be aggressive toward each other, so give plenty of space and cover or keep a single fish.

In the wild

Lives in slow, clear, shaded streams and pools with dense marginal vegetation. The water is soft and can turn cool during the season, reflecting its subtropical foothill range. It is a delicate, retiring fish that hides among plants and cover. It suffers badly from rough shipping and poor water quality.

Good to know

Ctenops nobilis was described by McClelland in 1845 and belongs to the family Osphronemidae. It is one of the very few gouramis that broods its eggs in the mouth, with the male carrying the young. Adults grow to around 9 to 10 cm and can be openly hostile to their own kind.

Did you know

The male is a mouthbrooder, holding the eggs and fry in his mouth for one to three weeks until they are ready to swim free.

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