Platinum Gourami

Distribution:
   The Platinum Gourami is a man made variant on a species indigenous to South East Asia, where they are found in streams and rivers.

Status:
   There are no wild populations of this species.

Description:
  The Platinum Gourami is a flat fish, and roughly follows the diamond shape of the other gouramis but is more elongated. The fins are rounded and relatively large. The ventral fins are threadlike and extremely sensitive. This fish has a labyrinth organ, a part of the fish which allows it to absorb atmospheric oxygen directly into the bloodstream. The body color is white with a soft yellow or silver undertone. A hint of marbling is still visible on this species, especially on the back and belly. These spots and stripes extend on to the fins, giving the otherwise clear fins a very attractive pattern. A pale remnant of the two dark spots for which this species group is known is often still visible.

Size - Weight:
   Five inches (13 cm) is a good length for the Platinum Gourami to reach in the aquarium. They will breed at 3 inches (7.5 cm).

Care and feeding:
   Since the Platinum Gouramis, like all varieties of the Three-spot Gourami, are omnivores, these fish will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. A quality flake or pellet food makes a good base to the diet. Supplementation should include white worms, blood worms, brine shrimp, or any other suitable substitute. Fresh vegetables can be offered as well, blanched lettuce being a good option for many aquarists.
   Platinum Gouramis are extremely hardy fish. Although the labyrinth organ allows the fish to survive in oxygen depleted water, it is a common misconception that this makes water changes unnecessary. This is hardly the case, as these fish will suffer the same tissue damage from built up toxins as any other fish. Regular water changes are a must with 25% weekly being recommended.
   The tank should be decorated in a way which allows both the dominant and quieter personality type fish to live happily. This means the construction of a few hiding places and some dense plant cover. This species appreciates the cover of floating plants. While juveniles can be easily housed in a 15 - 20 gallon aquarium, adults do better with at least 35 gallons.

An interesting characteristic of these gouramis (as well as the Pearl Gourami), is that they are well known for eating hydra. The hydra is a tiny pest that has tentacles with a venom. Very small fish that come in contact with the hydra are paralyzed by the venom and then held fast by the tentacles until eaten. If you have a hydra problem in your aquarium, here is your solution!

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   Top, middle, and bottom; the Platinum Gouramis inhabit all levels of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   This fish will be bothered by a strong current in the tank, especially if the tank is small. It is also desirable to keep the tank in a room with a temperature as close as possible to the tank water, or risk damaging the labyrinth organ.
   Temperature: 77-86° F (25-30° C)
   Hardness: 2-25° dH
   Ph: 6.0-7.8

Social Behaviors:
      The Platinum Gourami is generally considered a good community fish when small, but they are not as peaceful as the other gouramis. They have been known to attack smaller fish. When they get older, only keep them with fish their own size. Individuals will show varying degrees of aggression. Some will be very belligerent and will handle their tank mates quite roughly. Others will be peaceful to the point of shyness. The aquarist should be prepared to adapt their tank to suit all personality types.
   A mix of neutral personalities is an ideal goal for the range of tank mates. You should not include fish which will provoke this species into aggression as they are often passionate fighters. Fin nippers and gouramis should absolutely never be mixed, as the trailing pelvic fins and generally slower movement of this fish make it the perfect victim. Bullying between gouramis is a likely scenario as these fish, typical of the family, are fixated on constantly working out the details of the hierarchy. The Platinum Gourami is also a skilled hunter and extremely small fish or fish fry rarely last long.

Sexual Differences:
   The male will have a pointed dorsal fin while the female’s is noticeably rounder.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Like most fish in this family, the Platinum Gouramis are bubble nest builders. Their eggs as well as the fry, are lighter than water and float to the top. Breeding is moderately difficult, and finding a suitable pair is perhaps the biggest challenge. An individual breeding tank of 10 or more gallons should be set up. The water should be shallow, about 5 inches (13cm) being ideal. Tank current should be minimal. Many aquarists find that floating plants, or stem plants grown to the surface, or any other floating debris will help keep the bubble nest in place.
   A healthy pair of adults should be introduced into the breeding tank. The male will spend a lot of time building a large bubble nest. The two will spawn and eggs will be deposited in the nest. The female must be removed at this time or she risks being killed by the male. Fry will soon emerge and must be kept on fry food until they can swallow flake foods. This is when the male should be removed or he might eat the fry which emerge from the nest. For more information, see the description of how to breed labyrinth fish in Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Availability:
   The Platinum Gourami is a fairly new addition to the hobby. It is not as widely available as the other color variations of this species. Specimens will be about $4 - $6 USD each.

Author: "Yvonne"