Dwarf gouramis - A layman's guide to care and breeding of dwarf gouramis

Dwarf gouramis (Colisa lalia ) are some of the most beautiful tropical freshwater aquarium fishes in the world. With their blue and orange striped bodies, dwarf gouramis make a stunning addition to any freshwater community aquarium, because not only are they beautiful, they are peaceful as well and therefore, perfect choices for a community aquarium.

Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, dwarf gouramis are small fishes usually around 5 cm long from head to tail. The male is brightly colored, while the female is dull silver. They naturally thrive in slow flowing, shallow rivers with plenty of vegetation. They hail from the famous gourami family, which are a family of fishes that can breathe air through the use of a special labyrinth like organ which functions as a secondary “lung” for them, allowing them to live in oxygen deficient waters. Other well known species of gourami include the pearl gourami (my favorite fish), chocolate gourami, honey gourami, blue gourami, and kissing gourami.

Caring for dwarf gouramis

Dwarf gouramis are pretty flexible in their dietary habits; what I used to feed them were bloodworms, tubifex worms, and fish flakes. They also need plant matter in their diet, and chopped spinach or finely mashed green peas seemed to suit them well, along with the other fishes; just remember to mash the plant matter really small!

In colder climates, make sure not to let the water temperature drop below 22 or 23 Celsius, and make sure the aquarium is well planted, as gouramis are shy fishes, and the dwarf gourami is no exception. It is however, well capable of “affection” and will often swim towards to aquarium tank wall whenever you come close, probably equating you with food!

Dwarf gouramis are quite hardy; in fact, hardier than many other species of gourami, like the chocolate and honey gouramis, and the larger pearl gourami. They are susceptible to drastic PH and temperature changes though, and bacterial infections which cause their abdomens to bloat leading to fatalities, so the challenge in keeping dwarf gouramis is keeping the balance between temperature, PH, and water hygiene.

Breeding dwarf gouramis

Dwarf gouramis are easy to breed, but first, look out for the signs that a male and female are ready to breed. The female would be getting steadily plumper and plumper, and the male would be in his prime, seeming to get brighter and more vivid in coloration, while aggressively harassing any females in the same tank.

Once you notice a suitable pair that may be reaching breeding condition, if it’s possible, separate them in two aquariums for about a fortnight, while allowing them to see each other through their tank walls. Feed them well and condition them right. Of course, make sure both their aquariums are heavily planted so that they don’t feel stressed out. The aquarium with the male should have floating plant matter (floating ferns or salvinia plants are suitable). If the male is in breeding mode , he will start constructing a bubble nest and keep adding to it daily.

The bubble nests of dwarf gouramis are thick and incorporate bits and pieces of plant matter. The male will keep blowing bubbles into the nest until it even rises up above the water level, and measures nearly an inch in height.

When the female becomes very plump (due to being filled with eggs), it’s time to breed them. Reduce the water level in the male’s tank to about 10 cm height, and slowly let in the female. The pair will start spawning. After spawning is over, which takes about a few hours, remove the female from the tank and place her back in her own tank (not the community tank). This gives her a chance to recuperate for a few days. Meanwhile, the male will take care of the eggs and young, after they spawn.

When the fry become free swimming, which typically takes a few days, they will leave the nest, which by this time will be disintegrating. Remove the male at this point, and feed the fry with infusoria (infusoria cultures can be purchased from aquarium shops). After a week or so, you can start the fry on brine shrimp and minute amounts of mashed hard boiled egg yolk.

Other tips and facts on dwarf gouramis

• Always keep a few females for each male. Males can be aggressive and harass a single female to death.

• A “winner” dwarf gourami is one with unbroken stripes across its flanks. If you have such a specimen, contact your local fisheries department.

• Breeding has produced several types of exotic looking dwarf gourami, such as the Blue Dwarf Gourami (more vivid blue), Flame Dwarf Gourami, Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami, and Neon Red Dwarf Gourami (all without stripes), to name but a few.