Gouramis & bettas · Trichopodus
Pearl gourami
Trichopodus leerii · Peat swamps of Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo
Photo: BEDO (Thailand), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
24–28 °C 75–82 °F
pH
6–7.5 neutral water
Adult size
12 cm 4.7 in
Swims
Top and mid-water mostly at the surface
Keep together
Fine alone
Current
Calm still or slow water
Food
Eats most foods
Temperament
Peaceful
≈ Every value here is an estimate from typical hobby ranges. We're checking them against sources.
Where it comes from
Home water
Peat swamps of Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo
Lives in swamp or paddy habitat.
The dot marks where it's collected. Home from iNaturalist native sightings (40). Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Zebra L046
Plecos · 8 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Rainbowfish · 10 cm · mid-water -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Nip fins
-
Aggressive and will eat the pearl gourami
-
Aggressive and nip fins
-
Will eat the pearl gourami
-
Need a different pH
-
Need a different pH and aggressive
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Pearl gourami get?
About 12 cm (4.7 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Pearl gourami need?
24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
What pH does a Pearl gourami need?
pH 6–7.5.
Does a Pearl gourami need to be kept in a group?
No. It can be kept on its own.
Is the Pearl gourami aggressive?
No. It is peaceful with fish that suit the same water.
What does a Pearl gourami eat?
It eats most foods: flakes, small pellets and frozen foods.
Where does the Pearl gourami come from?
Peat swamps of Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo.
What fish can live with a Pearl gourami?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Zebra (L046), Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, Amano shrimp, Boeseman's rainbowfish.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 24 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 28 | Estimate |
| pH min | 6 | Estimate |
| pH max | 7.5 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 12 | Estimate |
| Flow | Low | Estimate |
| Habitat | swamp | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 1 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Estimate |
| Diet | Omnivore | Estimate |
| Behaviour tags | long_fins | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 7 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 14 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.