Peaceful, by nature, Gouramis are an excellent addition to any community aquarium with fish of like temperament and size. Dwarf varieties only reach 2" in size. Though territorial at times, many Dwarf Gouramis do best when kept in groups, provided there are more females than males.
Originating from India, Bengal, and Bangladesh, wild Dwarf Gouramis are found in heavily vegetated waters. Here, they feed on small insects and larvae on the water's surface and algae that gathers on plants. In the home aquarium, they do best in highly filtered water with neutral pH and water hardness.
Feed flake, algae pellets, and frozen or freeze-dried foods, supplemented with an occasional live worm. They like open swimming areas with spots to hide amongst plants, decorations, or rocks. It is especially beneficial to have floating plants that cover part of the water's surface.
When bred, pairs of Dwarf Gouramis create spectacular bubble nests amongst plant leaves at the water's surface and engage in a delicate, graceful spawning process that lasts up to four hours. After spawning, however, the female needs to be removed from the aquarium and the male will care for the eggs. While defending his brood, a male Dwarf Gourami will become very aggressive towards other fish.
As with all fish, Dwarf Gouramis require excellent water conditions. They do not handle fluctuations in water parameters well. However, for any aquarist, Dwarf Gouramis are an essential aquarium addition.
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