Pearl gourami

The Pearl Gourami might be the perfect addition to your aquarium if you’re looking to add a touch of elegance. This freshwater fish adds elegance and beauty to any tank with its gorgeous, iridescent scales and graceful movements. Its pearlescent spots, which cover its body and give it a shimmering, almost magical appearance that catches the light beautifully, are the source of its name.

But the Pearl Gourami is more than just a pretty face. This fish is a fantastic option for both beginning and seasoned aquarists because it is comparatively simple to care for. These gouramis can adapt and are hardy in the right habitat. They can flourish in a range of water conditions and get along well with other species in community tanks.

Incorporating a Pearl Gourami into your aquarium not only improves its aesthetic appeal but also brings a gentle and fascinating fish into your aquatic environment. This fish can be a fun and easy addition to your tank, regardless of your experience level as a fish keeper.

Feature	Description
Scientific Name	Trichopodus leerii
Size	Up to 12 cm (4.7 inches)
Temperament	Peaceful, suitable for community tanks
Water Conditions	Temperature: 24-28°C (75-82°F), pH: 6.0-7.5
Diet	Omnivorous, eats flakes, pellets, and live foods
Origin	Southeast Asia
Tank Size	Minimum 75 liters (20 gallons)
Coloration	Silver with pearl-like spots and orange-red throat
Lifespan	Up to 5 years
Breeding	Bubble nest builder, needs floating plants

Compatibility of pearl gourami

They are quiet, serene, and a little reserved by nature. Get along well with small to medium-sized cichlids (apistograms) and any other non-aggressive fish. Setting them up with veiltails and other similar fish is not advised.

The pearl gourami’s body is tall, elongated, and flattened on the sides. The body is a silvery-violet hue with a profusion of mother-of-pearl spots that are dispersed throughout the body and on the fins, giving the appearance of pearls. All over the body is an uneven dark stripe. The pearl gourami is up to 10 centimeters long.

Habitat of the pearl gourami

The pearl gourami’s natural habitat is the reservoirs of southern Malaysia, Thailand, and Indochina. in reservoirs with rich, dense vegetation that hold clean, well-heated water. Since 1933, they have been housed in aquariums.

Keeping pearl gourami

Picture of a pearl gourami

It is advised that this kind of fish be kept in aquariums with a minimum capacity of 40 liters for two to three individuals, rich vegetation, grottoes and snags for cover, and an area free of swimming objects. Ideally, the soil has a dark hue. Pearl gourami should be kept in water that is between 23 and 27 C. Water parameters: pH 6.0–7.0; hardness up to 16.

Picture of a pearl gourami

Light aeration will be very useful, despite the fact that, like all labyrinth fish, pearl gourami can breathe atmospheric air, using a gill labyrinth. Filtration and weekly replacement of up to 30% of the water are not just necessary, but beneficial for the healthy development of the fish. As for any other fish, a high concentration of poisons is unacceptable for gourami: ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Every conscientious aquarist should always have a set of drop tests on hand, at least for nitrate and phosphate. Fortunately, they have now become inexpensive, there are no problems with their assortment and acquisition. For example, we can recommend you with a clear conscience the cool UHE drip tests that we have tested on ourselves, but they are sold only online. In the stores of your city – offline, you can find inexpensive Vladox tests. Watch out, friends, for nitrogen compounds, keep them in check and everything will be fine for you and your pets.

One characteristic of gourami is that they prefer "old water," or a pH of 6-7, which is a soft, slightly acidic environment. This makes sense given that their biotope consists of ditches, puddles, and muddy, silted rice fields. And for newcomers, this is the point we want to chew over.

A novice may think, "Aha, so you can’t change the water in the aquarium for a long time," when he reads the term "old water." Even on certain aquarium websites, it states that gouramis prefer older water. Do water changes less frequently as a result.

But this isn’t totally accurate. The term "old water" has a slightly different meaning. It denotes a fully developed biological milieu where each link in the biocenosis functions as a unified, well-coordinated system. On the other hand, you can simply alter the water to your preference. The gourami will not suffer from this. It is simply best to keep them immediately in an established aquarium, where all the aquatic organisms are doing well, the nitrogen cycle is functioning like a Swiss watch, and there is an abundance of vibrant and varied grass.

Let’s also talk briefly about the idea of "black water," which gourami adore. All of you have seen aquariums with biotopes and dark brown water. It is precisely what it sounds like: "black water." This effect is typically produced naturally in professional biotope aquariums because of the variety of foliage and abundance of snags in the space. It is they who release the most tannins into the aquarium, giving the water its color.

You don’t have to put sticks and logs in a beginner’s gourami aquarium. This can only lead to issues with the nitrogen cycle for a novice. As an alternative, you could use something like Tetra Torumin, a conditioner that is essentially a peat extract. It has certain amounts of macro and micro elements, humic acids, tannins, and other beneficial substances for plants and fish.

We would like to draw the attention of beginners that Tetra Torumin ibn peat extract does not necessarily have to be used according to the instructions. On the contrary, it is best to use it little by little, as a treat, for example, adding it after changing the water. I.e. it is not necessary to pour the extract until the stable color of a child"s surprise. This is due to the fact that peat is a good thing, but it still burdens the ecosystem. It is best to use it in a stable aquarium in which everything is super with the nitrogen cycle. And if this is so, then we assure you that the addition of tannins and huminki will please your plants, as well as soft-water rabies, which are the heroes of this video – gourami. And also, for example: angelfish, neons, cockerels.

Gourami: Things you may not be aware of

Pearl gouramis, with their shimmering scales and elegant movements, are a beautiful addition to any aquarium. Well-planted tanks with calm waters and a gentle current are ideal for the peaceful growth of these fish. Pearl gouramis are vibrantly colored and have interesting behavior without requiring excessively complicated care, making them ideal for both novice and seasoned hobbyists. You can create a vibrant habitat where these stunning fish can truly shine by being aware of their basic needs and preferred habitats.

What to feed the growling gourami

Gorgeous photo of Pearl Gourami

When it comes to eating, gourami are utterly unpretentious and eager to devour any food that they come across. A varied diet is highly appreciated by gourami, just like it is by other fish. Ultimately, it is important to provide aquarium fish with a balanced and varied diet. The secret to any fish’s successful maintenance is this basic principle. The popular and standard TetraMin dish is ideal for gourami.

It should be mentioned that when purchasing any dry food, you should be aware of the manufacture and expiration dates, avoid purchasing food by weight, and store it in a closed environment to prevent the growth of harmful flora.

Breeding and reproduction of pearl gourami

The male pearl gourami is larger than the female, and its anal and dorsal fins are longer. It also has a brighter color. Nonetheless, another highly distinctive characteristic is the color of the pearl gourami’s neck, which is orange in females and red in males. Even at an early age, these distinctions are noticeable, but they become more noticeable as people age. Additionally, the male’s color differences are more noticeable during the spawning season: the neck and abdomen glow a red color, and the pearl scattering shimmers and sparkles. As a result, at any age, identifying the fish is not difficult.

Pearl gourami breeding doesn’t call for a lot of knowledge or money. First, let’s talk about the fact that these fish can spawn in two different aquariums: one 20-liter spawning aquarium with a water column height of 10 to 15 centimeters, and the other larger aquarium.

The primary requirements for spawning in a shared aquarium are the presence of surface-dwelling plants (such as ricci, hornwort, duckweed, and others) and the lack of a strong current to prevent damage to the foam nest that the male has built.

If spawning is carried out in a spawning aquarium, then you need the water to have the necessary parameters: water temperature 24 – 26 C, hardness 4 – 10, acidity 5.8 – 6.8, plants floating on the surface, and a shelter for the female at the bottom. Then, first, we add the male to the spawning aquarium we have allocated. We feed the pair abundantly, preferably with live food, for a couple of 1 – 2 weeks. Just before spawning, we transfer the female to the spawning aquarium. And watch the very exciting games of the pair. Gourami change their color to a brighter one, swim with straightened fins. The male, like a caring father, constantly maintains the foam nest in a whole state.

And he builds his nest from air bubbles released from the mouth along with saliva.The male needs about 3 days to build a foam nest. Do not worry if during this period the male does not show activity to food and only huddles near his construction. And when the nest is completely built, the spawning of Pearl Gourami begins. The male tries in every way to drive the female under his nest, and having driven her, he begins to fertilize the game, which easily floats to the surface of the aquarium water. The spawning period usually takes 3-4 hours, in several stages. To speed up the spawning process, you can add 1/3 of the volume of the spawning aquarium of distilled water with an increase in temperature to 30 ° C. The caring father collects the eggs that did not immediately get into the nest and transfers them to the nest. Usually the female spawns about 200 eggs, maybe more. At the end of spawning, the fish rush in different directions: the female goes to shelter, and the male rushes to the nest, where he will look after the eggs until the fry hatch. But the female must be immediately removed so that she is attacked by the male, or does not damage the nest by eating the eggs of an inexperienced dad. The incubation period of pearl gourami eggs is from 24 to 48 hours. The development of eggs directly depends on the water temperature in the aquarium.

Picture of a pearl gourami

Time passes, gourami larvae hatch from the eggs and hang motionless in the foam of the nest, and having fallen out, they immediately return to their place as a caring father. After 2 – 3 days, the larvae pass into the fry stage and begin to swim. The male is on the alert here too, he collects the fry with his mouth and transfers them to the nest. As soon as all the fry hatch and begin to swim around the spawning aquarium, we catch the male so that he does not eat his offspring. The male is not fed throughout the entire period of caring for the offspring. When larvae appear, it is necessary to lower the water level to 6-10 cm and maintain it until the fry form a labyrinth apparatus, which takes at least a month. If there are a lot of larvae, then it is necessary to provide weak aeration in the spawning aquarium.

Fry are fed fine "dust," yogurt, infusoria, and special feeds in large quantities. However, you must ensure that the fry consumes all of the food and promptly remove any leftovers. Because pearl gourami fry grow unevenly, the larger, more mature ones start to compete with the smaller ones and may even consume them. Here’s where you have to make a decision. You can either consistently group the fry or trust to nature to produce the strongest and most mature individuals.

Picture of a pearl gourami

Additionally, let’s talk about the peculiarities of pearl gourami breeding:

First, based on observing the mature fish residing in a school, the formation of a pair for spawning should happen naturally;

Second, fish that are between the ages of eight months and a year spawn well; if you miss this window, you might not have to wait at all for offspring;

Third: Since gourami prefer clean water, the spawning aquarium’s water should be clear;

Fourth, cover the front side of the spawning aquarium (with a towel, cardboard, paper, etc.) and give the fish an uninterrupted space to spawn.

What diseases do pearl gourami have?

A picture of a pearl gourami

It is best to attempt to prevent diseases rather than treat them, as one sick fish in an aquarium has the potential to kill all the other fish in the aquarium. Poor conditions, trauma sustained during transit, abrupt changes in water temperature and other parameters, and the quality of introduced food—especially live food, which may be contaminated with a variety of parasites—are the main causes of disease susceptibility in fish. Remember to keep new fish in quarantine; it’s heartbreaking to feel guilty about your favorite fish’s passing after adding a seemingly healthy, but actually sick, fish to the tank.

The most prevalent illnesses affecting pearl gouramis and other gourami species are aeromonosis, pseudomonosis, and lymphocystosis.

Lymphocystis is a viral disease that alters the mucous membrane cells and affects fish skin. The naked eye can detect blisters that develop on the skin. As the afflicted cell multiplies and produces fresh viruses, it breaks, allowing all the viruses to enter the water. The disease typically first appears on the outside edges of the fins before spreading to other body cells.

Pseudomonas – an ulcerous disease characteristic of many types of aquarium fish, the causative agent of which is aquatic microorganisms from the pseudomonad group. These organisms can get into the aquarium with soil, plants, infected fish. When the disease occurs, dark spots form on the fish"s body with their subsequent transformation into bloody ulcers. And through these ulcers, the doors are open to other viral infections in the fish"s body. It is best to treat the fish in a separate quarantine aquarium without plants. For treatment, use a solution of potassium permanganate at a rate of 0.5 grams per 10 liters of water. In this composition, the infected fish is kept for 15 minutes. If you do not have a quarantine aquarium, then the infected fish can be treated in a common aquarium using bicillin-5, adding 500,000 IU of the drug per 100 liters of water, repeating every other day at least six times.

Cold, highly contaminated aquariums are the breeding ground for the infectious disease aeromonosis, which is typically brought on by the bacteria Aeromonos punctata.

Fish that are sick stop moving, lie on the ground, and stop eating. Their scales are "shaggy," and their abdomen is bloated. The fins and entire body are covered in bloodstains. This illness is highly transmissible and challenging to treat. Regarding this, it is frequently advised to kill the fish and thoroughly clean the aquarium.

These and a variety of other fish are always available at the physical supermarkets Aqua Logo and the internet retailer Aqua-Shop. Live goods delivery is offered in Moscow and the surrounding areas.

In conclusion, pearl gouramis are an excellent option for anyone wishing to accentuate the beauty and allure of their aquarium. They are a unique species due to their remarkable appearance, which includes shimmering scales and graceful swimming. These fish are not only gorgeous to look at, but their peaceful disposition also adds a sense of peace to your tank.

Because Pearl Gouramis require little maintenance, both novice and seasoned hobbyists can enjoy them. To preserve their health and brilliant colors, they need a varied diet, which they enjoy in well-planted tanks with mild filtration. Their peaceful disposition makes them get along with a wide variety of fish, which increases their allure as a flexible addition to your aquarium.

All things considered, Pearl Gouramis provide a lovely balance of beauty and carefreeness. You can enjoy these graceful fish for many years to come if you give them the correct care and environment. Their presence in your tank will improve its aesthetic appeal while also supporting a harmonious and well-balanced aquatic ecosystem.

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