Sparkling Pygmy Gourami

Trichopsis pumila

A perfect candidate for a nano aquarium. It grows to 4cm in length. There is a very little difference between a male and a female. Female has a more rounded anal fin, but that can vary.

Sparkling Gourami is found in very shallow and over-grown ditches with low pH, around 6,5. They can tolerate temperatures up to 33' Celsius (normal temp. is around 27'C) and waters with very little oxygen. In the nature they form small "shoaling" groups of about 5-10. This kind of aquarium should be heavily planted with species like Java Moss, Hygro polysperma and Limnophila sessiliflora. They will eat high quality granules, that are small enough, but frozen food like Artemia highly appreciated. Do not keep this fish with other, bigger, Gouramie species since in the nature they see Pygmy Guoramis as a nice snack. Dwarf Rasboras and Dwarf shrimps are something worth considering for their companions in a community aquarium.

Photo by Dusko Bojic.