Sparkling Gourami

A tiny croaking gourami covered in iridescent brown-and-green sparkles. Perfect for small planted tanks where it hunts micro-predator foods among the stems; it can even make audible chirps.

• Minimum footprint: 10 gallons; a 15+ gallon tank gives real swimming room.
• Preferred swimming zone: top of the water column.
• Happy alone or as a compatible pair; avoid crowding with conspecifics.
• Care level: easy.

• Temperature: 75–82°F
• pH: 6–7
• Hardness: 2–10 dGH (Moderate)

Stable parameters matter more than perfect ones — aim for consistency before chasing an exact number.

peaceful

labyrinthsurface-dwellernanopeacefulplanted-tank

A carnivore — build the diet around meaty frozen and live foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp, and daphnia, with a quality carnivore pellet as a base.

• Neon Tetra
• Guppy
• Bronze Corydoras
• Harlequin Rasbora
• Zebra Danio
• Platy

• Angelfish — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.
• Molly — pH requirements do not intersect — one species will be stressed.
• Yoyo Loach — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.
• Electric Blue Acara — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.
• Redtail Shark — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.

Standard tanks at or above the recommended 15 gallons:

• 15 gallon 24 × 12 × 12″
• 20 gallon High 24 × 12 × 16″
• 20 gallon Long 30 × 12 × 12″
• All tank sizes

• Start from a 10 gallon minimum and plan the full group size before you buy.
• Activity level is low, which affects how much of the tank it uses and how much it adds to the bioload.
• Zoning matters: this species lives mostly in the top zone, so choose tank mates that occupy other levels.

Compatibility depends on tank size, water chemistry, temperament, and adult size. Run a full check against any species in our database.

• FishBase(Scientific Database, accessed 2026-09-20)
• SeriouslyFish(Specialist Publication, accessed 2026-09-20)
• Aquarium Forge editorial guidelines(Editorial Interpretation, accessed 2026-09-22)

Data reviewed: September 2026 · Data version: 2026.11
Editorial note: Minimum tank recommendations may vary by source and husbandry approach. Our figures synthesise the sources above for planning purposes.