Honey gourami

Trichogaster chuna

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2 in (5 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Very common
Origin: Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages of northeast India, Bangladesh, and Nepal
Family: Osphronemidae

Overview

Keep them in a group of four to six in a tank of 75 liters or larger, with more females than males to spread out any chasing. They are peaceful and a bit shy, sitting in the middle of the water column and using floating plants and tall stems for cover. Hold the temperature between 22 and 28 C and the pH from 6 to 7.5, with gentle flow so the surface stays calm for breathing and nest building. Feed small flakes, micro pellets, and frozen foods like daphnia or brine shrimp. Pair them with other calm, small fish and skip anything fast, nippy, or large enough to bully them out of the open.

In the wild

Honey gouramis come from slow, weedy waters in the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages of northeast India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, where they live among thick marginal plants and still backwaters. To match that, give them a heavily planted tank of at least 75 liters with floating plants up top, some open swimming room in the middle, and gentle flow. They are labyrinth fish that breathe air at the surface, so keep the tank well covered with a warm, humid layer of air under the lid. Run the water from 22 to 28 C with a pH of 6 to 7.5.

Good to know

This is a labyrinth fish in the family Osphronemidae, formerly known as Colisa chuna, with adults staying around 5 cm. It is a bubble-nest builder, with the male building and guarding the nest, and breeding it is moderately tricky. A healthy fish lives several years. Many sold today are tank-bred sunset or red color forms rather than the wild type.

Did you know

The labyrinth organ behind the gills lets them gulp air at the surface and pull oxygen from it, which is how they survive in the warm, low-oxygen backwaters they come from. It also means they need real access to the surface, so a tight lid that traps a warm, humid pocket of air keeps that organ from being shocked by cold room air.