Quick Stats :
Minimum Tank Size: 20 Gallons (75 Litres)
Care Level: Easy
Water Conditions: 5.5-7.5 pH and Soft to Hard
Temperature: 73-82 °F (24-28 °C)
Maximum Size: 4.5 inches (12 cm)
The Pearl Gourami (Trichopodus leerii) , also known as the mosaic gourami and lace gourami, is widely known as being one of the easiest gouramis to care for. It is native to Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and Thailand, though its population appears to be on the decline in recent years.
In the wild, it is primarily found in lowland swamps and coastal waterways and is most at home in heavily vegetated and shaded areas. Most of the waters it inhabits are acidic, but since the vast majority are now bred and raised on fish farms, they can tolerate a wider range of water types than wild caught fish could in the past.
Pearl Gouramis stay relatively small in the home aquarium, and most will only grow to a maximum of 5 inches. The males are distinctive from the females, and they exhibit bright orange coloring around the throat region, which becomes more brilliant during breeding. Most will only live between 4-5 years in the home aquarium, though some exceptionally well cared for individuals have reached 8 or even 9 years of age.
Breeding pearl gouramis is relatively easy, and will often occur with very little intervention. As with many fish, it’s important to first condition the fish for breeding through regular feedings of live or frozen foods. After about a week of this conditioning, most pearl gouramis will be ready for breeding.
As previously stated, sexing your pearl gouramis will be simple, as the males have a bright orange stripe around their neck, which will brighten coinsiderably during breeding. The females will not have the orange stripe, and will also be noticeably plumper than the males as they fill up with eggs.
To prepare their aquarium for breeding, the temperature should be raised to 80 degrees and numerous floating plants should be provided. Pearl gouramis are bubblenest builders, and will often use floating plants in the construction of their nests.
Once breeding commences, the male will entice the female under his bubblenest, where he will wrap his body around hers as she lays the eggs. The male will catch the eggs as they begin to sink, and will place them in the bubblenest, one by one. Mating may occur each time, and the male will place the eggs in the bubblenest after each mating.
After mating is complete, the male will set about guarding the bubblenest, and you may want to remove the female at this point. After around 3 days, the eggs will have hatched, and the fry will start to become free swimming. The male should be removed at this point, and attention should be given to feeding the fry.
The fry should be fed three times a day, and will only accept infusoria or green water to begin with. They can then be moved onto baby brine shrimp, or commercially available fry foods. While it takes a bit more effort and planning, most aquarists prefer to use newly hatched brine shrimp.
