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Sorry I'm a little late this week. I just got home from school (no joke!). Anyways, here is the thread! As always, any questions, comments, and corrections are welcome.

This week’s thread will be on another labyrinth fish. I am now going to profile a very beautiful, fun, and common gourami… the Dwarf Gourami!

The dwarf gourami (Colisa lalia, Colisa cotra, Trichogaster lalius, Trichogaster unicolor, Trichopodus lalius, etc.) is an Anabantoid found in India, Borneo, and Bangladesh. They reside in still or slow moving waters with thick vegetation, that have relatively low oxygen levels. These fish have evolved to their natural habitat, therefore they don’t like much current, and can take in air from the surface and process it in their bodies.

Dwarf gouramis are pretty hardy, as long as they are given good care. Regular water changes are important in keeping them happy, as poor water conditions often result in death for this fish. Cover in the form of plants (especially in the back and sides) are beneficial to this fish, as it will often rest or hide in vegetation. Floating plants are greatly appreciated, as they help shade this fish from excess light. Ornaments and décor can pretty much be present or absent, to the tank owner’s taste. A shelter or two would be nice, though. Dwarfs do like to have a choice of places to run off to when they are feeling stressed. As has been mentioned, strong current hampers this fish’s ability to swim well, so slow moving water is great. Oxygen levels do not need to be very high, as the dwarf gourami can simply take in air from the surface. A water temperature of 25 degrees C (77 degrees F) is fine, and this fish also likes slightly acidic, somewhat soft water. Really though, this gourami will thrive in many water conditions, except for the extremes of the spectrum.

Dwarf gouramis are carnivores in the wild, but aquarium specimens will eat a broad range of foods. Their preferred diet includes mosquito larvae (freeze-dried is fine), tubifex worms, and any live or frozen foods available. However, flake foods will do just fine as a staple, and the aforementioned foods can be used as just treats.

The dwarf gourami grows to a maximum size of five or so centimeters (two inches), not large at all (hence the name&#8230. They are great fish for smaller tanks, and aren’t usually very active. They do not require much room at all, and can probably be safely kept in 19 liters (5 gallons) of water, though 38 liters (10 gallons) would be much better.

These little fish are great for community tanks, being (with few exceptions) very peaceful. In fact, they are considered timid, and can be intimidated by fast moving tankmates, such as danios. Dwarf gouramis are often bullied by other fish, especially those with nipping tendencies. It seems that the long pelvic fins of the dwarf gourami are just too tempting a target to ignore. Therefore, I advocate keeping dwarf gouramis with fish that are totally peaceful, and not too zippy. These gouramis are usually shy when first introduced to a new tank (especially one that already has residents), and they tend to stay in hiding for a couple of weeks. This is normal, and the fish should feel get used to their new surroundings after a short period. Occasionally, male dwarf gouramis may get into territorial battles with each other, especially during spawning season. Male gouramis of any species are e to fighting, and dwarfs are no exception. If you want to keep multiple males together, it is best to provide them with plenty of space and hiding places, to allow them to stake their own territories. Otherwise, you may end up with two (or more) angry males on your hands! Better safe than sorry.

Sexing the dwarf gourami is not too difficult. Males are much more colorful than females who are usually pretty dull in color. In fact, the difference is so ounced, females are actually fairly hard to find in stores! They are not stocked too often, because shoppers are much more likely to buy the colorful males than the drab females.

Dwarf gouramis have many color variations, but they usually are somewhat similar. They include, but are not limited to: Neon dwarfs, powder blue, fire, sunset, coral blue, flame red, etc. The similarities between each type lie in that they are all the same fish, and pretty much all of the color types include blue, red and/or orange to a great extent. They are easy to tell apart from other fish though, so don’t get confused. Just about every variation has vertical stripes, too.

Some photos:

The above photo was submitted by Gartenzwerfe



In wrapping up this thread, I would like to say that the dwarf gourami is a great fish for newbies and battle-hardened experts alike. They are beautiful, tough, will live for at least four years (six and up are more likely, I think), and are delightful additions to any community tank. I wholeheartedly recommend them to those that want beauty and toughness in a small package.

Links: [link=http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Colisa_lalia.html]http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Colisa_lalia.html" style="COLOR: #808080[/link]
[link=http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anabantoids/dwarfgourami.php]http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/anabantoids/dwarfgourami.php" style="COLOR: #808080[/link]
[link=http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=21&pCatId=974 ]http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=21&pCatId=974 " style="COLOR: #808080[/link]

[link=Week One- Betta splendens (Siamese Fighting Fish)]http:// www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/General%20Freshwater/50279.html" style="COLOR: #808080[/link]
[link=Week Two- Carassius auratus (Common Goldfish)]http://fishprofiles.com/files/forums/General%20Freshwater/50563.html" style="COLOR: #808080[/link]
[link=Week Three- Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Common Pleco)]http:// www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/General%20Freshwater/50899.html" style="COLOR: #808080[/link]
[link=Week Four- Brachydanio rerio (Zebra Danio)]http:// www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/General%20Freshwater/51250.html" style="COLOR: #808080[/link]

Special thanks to Gartenzwerfe
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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Great article.

I think you need to do some livebearers next.

Nice article, but to be fair, I think that it should apply only to Colisa lalia and Colisa chuna (the other 2 Colisa species reach 10-13cm, and can hardly be considered 'dwarf')....the other small gourami species should have profiles all their own, as husbandry for them is quite different. Or, by the "Etc." were you referring to all the other, invalid taxa for C. lalia?

Last edited by Toirtis at 15-Dec-2004 21:09

I only did mention those two Colisa species as scientific names. The Trichogaster and Trichopodus names are synonyms, I believe. Please correct me if I'm wrong, though.

EDIT: By "etc.", I was referring to the other, many synonyms of this fish. I wasn't talking about the other Colisa fish.

Last edited by sirbooks at 15-Dec-2004 21:12

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Nice article. Though i would have to admit while water changes are important. The goramie since it can breath air is ok for the beginers mistake.

Nice article. Though i would have to admit while water changes are important. The goramie since it can breath air is ok for the beginers mistake.

Nicely done! I also highly recommend this species to any fish keeper. I miss my little guy. The one in the pic has passed on.

On to the teras next? :%)

><>Dani<><

Ah. C. lalia and C. chuna are the only valid taxa for those two species...although the other taxa could be argued as synonymous, they are invalid.

Thank you for the infomation on Dwarf Gourami It really helped me as I am new to Tropical Freshwater fish.I have 2m and 2 female in the same tank but after reading your info I will put one pair into a seperate tank to give the other species a little time out. Can you tell me where to get information on their breeding habits.
Regards
Madeleine

Nice article. I have a pair of male blue dwarfs in my 29 and they get along great. the other fish like them too. they are a tough little fish but they do like clean water and plenty of cover.

Great article
Looking forward to the next article

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I know human beings and fish can co-exist peacefully.

If you get a chance, pick up a copy of "Gouramis and Other Anabantoids" by Hans-Joachim Richter...it has some nice info and photos on Colisa, amongst other species.

Thanks it helped me a lot. I just bought 2 powder blue DGs for my 90 gallon. One of them is always hiding and scared and the other is fine. They sometimes get into fights because they're both males but no serious injuries.

Thanks again man.

Madeleine-
Some of the links I provided should have breeding information for this fish. From what I've heard, procreating the dwarf gourami isn't easy, but it is not impossible. I guess the pair just needs to be well fed and happy!
Oh, and welcome to the site!

I'm glad that I was able to help a couple of folks. That is the whole reason that I am doing these threads, just to assist those not in the know. If I wasn't helping anyone, I wouldn't be doing my job. Thanks for all the feedback!

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."