TankBud

Moonlight gourami

Trichopodus microlepis

FreshwaterFish

Moonlight gourami (Trichopodus microlepis)
H. Zell · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
77–86°F
25–30°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
115 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam

Overview

The moonlight gourami is a calm, slow-moving fish that can be kept as a pair or a small group and mixes well with other peaceful mid-sized community fish. It favours the middle and upper water and uses its long, thread-like pelvic fins to explore, so avoid known fin-nippers that will pester them. Give it a quiet, planted tank; it can be a little shy at first. Feed a varied diet of flake or pellet, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and some vegetable matter. Keep the water warm and provide a tank of at least 115 liters so a group has room to settle.

In the wild

Trichopodus microlepis comes from the lowlands of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, living in slow and still waters such as swamps, ponds and flooded fields thick with vegetation. It likes warmth, so keep the temperature between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius and the pH from 6.0 to 7.5. A densely planted tank with floating plants, calm water and a dark substrate shows off its silvery sheen and helps it feel secure. Leave a warm air layer under the lid, as it breathes from the surface and dislikes cold drafts.

Good to know

A member of the gourami family Osphronemidae, the moonlight gourami reaches about 15 centimeters and takes its scientific name microlepis, meaning small-scaled, from its fine scales that give the body a smooth, silvery glow. Males develop orange to red pelvic fins and a slightly steeper forehead in breeding condition. They build a large bubble nest, often incorporating plant fragments, and guard the eggs, though home breeding is not commonly recorded.

Did you know

The moonlight gourami is named for its soft, silvery sheen, the result of unusually fine scales that scatter light across the body. When ready to breed, the male's threadlike pelvic fins flush a warm orange-red.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Moonlight gourami is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Moonlight gourami need?

A Moonlight gourami needs at least 30 gal (115 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Moonlight gourami need?

A Moonlight gourami is comfortable at 77–86°F (25–30°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

How big does a Moonlight gourami get?

An adult Moonlight gourami reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

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