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Blue Gourami

Three-spot Gourami Family: Osphronemidae

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Trichogaster trichopterus Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   The name, Three-spot Gourami, at first seems a bit of a mystery. This fish actually only has two spots, the third spot is generally considered to be the eye!

   These are a beautiful fish that get quite large, about 6 inches. The Blue Gourami, like the Gold Gourami, Platinum Gourami, and Opaline Gourami, is a color-morph of the Three-spot Gourami. The Blue Gourami and the Three-spot Gourami are identical except that the Blue Gourami has a hazy, whitish-blue coat.

   The Three-spot Gourami, like all the variants of this species, are generally considered good community fish when small but they are not as peaceful as the other gouramis. They have been known to attack smaller fish. They can also get belligerent or territorial when they get large.

   This species group is certainly one of the hardiest available to the aquarist, and makes an excellent first fish for people entering the hobby. They are long lived fish with each having a remarkably individual personality. They will use their pelvic fins to feel their environment and even feel their tank mates. They also seem to be quite aware of their owners.  

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:
   The Three-spot Gourami are found in streams and rivers of the tropical Far East. The Blue Gourami are a captive bred color-morph of the Three-spot Gourami.
   Three-spot Gouramis are found in marshes, swamps, and canals. They inhabit shallow sluggish or standing-water with a lot of aquatic vegetation. Occurs in seasonally flooded forests throughout the middle and lower Mekong. Undertakes lateral migrations from the Mekong mainstream, or other permanent water bodies, to flooded areas during the flood season and returns to the permanent water bodies at the onset of the dry season. Feeds on zooplankton, crustaceans and insect larvae.

Status:
   The Three-spot Gourami are not endangered. There are no wild populations of the Blue Gourami.

Description:
   The body of the Three-spot Gourami and the Blue Gourami is somewhat compressed and elongated. The fins are rounded and relatively large. The ventral fins are threadlike and extremely sensitive. The body color is a pretty bluish tone, sometimes with a striped patterning. The Blue Gourami has a hazy, whitish-blue coat. There are two dark spots, one at about mid body and the other at the base of the tail. The third spot, from which its name 'Three-spot' is derived, is generally considered to be the eye. White spots extend on to the fins, giving them a very attractive pattern. This fish has a labyrinth organ, a part of the fish which allows it to absorb atmospheric oxygen directly into the bloodstream.

Size - Weight:
   Six inches (15 cm) is a good length for this gourami to reach in the aquarium. They will breed at 3 inches (7.5 cm).

Care and feeding:
   The Three-spot Gourami and Blue Gourami, like all the variants of this species, 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.
   These 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 Three-spot Gourami or Blue Gourami will 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: 5 - 35° dH
   Ph: 6.0 to 8.8

Social Behaviors:
   The Blue Gourami and Three-spot Gourami are 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. Being skilled hunters, extremely small fish or fish fry rarely last long.

Sexual Differences:
   The male Blue Gourami and Three-spot Gourami has a longer and more pointed dorsal fin.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Like most fish in this family, the Blue Gouramis and Three-spot 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.

Buy Blue Gourami From LiveAquaria.com

See the description of how to breed these fish in Breeding Freshwater Fish

Availability:
   The Blue Gourami is readily available and specimens will be about $3 - $5 USD.

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Latest Comments
Whoa! I was reading the comments and it seems most male gouramis are pretty aggresive! My Dad's isn't like that at all! in fact our female Opaline and our white molly chase him around every so often! I guess my dad has a gentle giant? He really likes people and doesn't care when my little sister (who is seven and trying to figure out how I get him to swim to my finger) taps on the glass while the other fish freak! I think these guys are my absolute favorite. Gouramis are so gorgeous and people friendly and they're very calm, unlike the molly who is constantly rushing around the tank. From what I've seen they seem to like the sunlight a lot and they look beautiful when it hits their scales! I really want to get my own tank of them when I'm older! Tina 2009-08-13
I have a female blue gourami which seems a bit fat and a male which is always chasing her. I have a lot of hiding places where she can hid. But when he finds her he chases her again and again, and she always changes colors. Like all her body is striped and now she is just in a corner, and if she comes out he attacks her and is she pregnant and will he build the bubble nest and does he want her. anwar from sudan anwar 2009-07-20
Believe it or not, I have a blue gourami in a tank with all ciclids. And the funny thing is he USED to bully my flowerhorn when he was smaller, which now the tide has turned and he should have been nice to him. Because now my older and bigger flowehorn gives this guy hell. He swims around for his life, but he doesn't harm him, just likes to show him who's boss now! Peter John Sidiropoulos 2009-06-05
I have a 36 Gallon Tank with 6 Tiger Barbs, One Red Tailed Shark, 1 Golden and 1 Blue Gourami. The Gourami's leave the other fish alone although the Golden Gourami Constantly chases the Blue one around. I'm considering possibly getting another Larger Blue Gourami so its two blues vs. the one aggressive Golden one. Or at the very least I'd hope the Golden Gourami's aggression would then be split between the two blues giving them time to rest. I really feel sorry for my Blue Gourami though. Psi 2009-03-26
I've got 2 and one lost an eye and swims crooked like its dying, pitiful thing, but he lives on and seems to be doing well. rontucker 2009-03-23
Some of the coolest comments:
I have had a gourami tank for three years now. I have a gold gourami and two blue gouramis. All three are about 5 inches in length and very vibrant in colors. Together, they are very passive fish, though they do have their set territories in my 55Gal tank. Originally, I began with one gourami and found that it DID pick on the other fish, but when kept in a community of odd numbers (3 or more) the three spot gourami family does just fine. This is a semi-aggressive fish by all means, as they do have their set zones in the tank and when summer time comes around the males have little challenges where their colors tend to darken and they 'feel' each other and will charge at one another quite fiercely. I've never had any injuries, but can imagine that it is very possible with such strong fish. Beautiful and people friendly, my gouramis will try and feel your fingers if you put them next to the glass or while I am cleaning the tank. They have also felt over the other fish but never harmed any of them. Keep in mind I have a purely smi-aggressive tank however and everyone can hold their own. All fish have one rule... If it fits in my mouth I'll eat it. Angela 2006-06-26
I took over caring duties for a friend of mines Blue Gourami that he named Guami. He is in a 26 Gal. Bow front along with two YoYo loaches, eight neon black tetras, eight glo-lite tetras and for a little while six zebra danios. He at first had a problem with being in the tank, attacking everyone in it, but I took all the fish out, re-arranged all of the plants and drift wood and such, and put him in last. He leaves everyone alone now and just hangs out in the top right corner of the tank while I am watching him, but if I sit down across the room he swims around the plants and just feels everything up. He jumps like crazy when I walk by, but that has gotten better since he has gotten to know me. Very nice fish, and very beautiful. I am considering starting a Gourami tank with three or four pairs of these guys in it. gus 2006-06-19

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Author: David Brough, CFS
Additional Information: "Yvonne"