How big does Dwarf Gourami get?

Dwarf Gourami reaches an adult standard length of 5–7 cm (excluding the caudal fin). Size the tank for that, not for the juvenile you bring home — the difference is often several times over, and upgrading later costs more than buying once.

What water does Dwarf Gourami need?

24–28 °C, pH 6–7.5, 2–12 dGH. That is only 4 °C wide, so stability matters more than hitting a particular number.

What is the smallest tank for Dwarf Gourami?

At least 60 L, and no shorter than 60 cm. That is the floor for long-term keeping, not for short-term survival: volume buys water stability and length buys swimming room, and neither substitutes for the other. It is not a schooling fish, so a single specimen or a pair is fine.

What is Dwarf Gourami like to keep?

Temperament: semi-aggressive. Difficulty: beginner. It occupies the middle and is omnivore. With plants it is "Leaves plants alone".

G-01 / 30Freshwater

Dwarf Gourami丽丽鱼

Trichogaster lalius · Osphronemidae

A small red-and-blue gourami: cheap and pretty, but retail fish commonly carry iridovirus.

Illustration to come

G-01 / 30 · Dwarf Gourami Trichogaster lalius

SpecificationsFish atlas

Name: 丽丽鱼
Scientific name: Trichogaster lalius
Family: Osphronemidae
Origin: South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan)
Adult size: 5–7 cm
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Omnivore
Water level: Middle
Level: Beginner
Min. tank: 60 L
Min. length: 60 cm
Plant safe: Leaves plants alone

Water requirementsFreshwater

Temp.24–28 °C

pH6–7.5

Hardness2–12 dGH

Units: temperature in °C, hardness in German degrees (dGH / dKH), marine salinity as specific gravity at 25 °C, volume in litres. These are the values recorded for the species and do not follow the site unit switcher.

Keeping notes

1Males are gorgeous but scrappy: two in a small tank usually fight until one is left.
2Retail fish often carry dwarf gourami iridovirus, so quarantine them; dropsy from it is untreatable.
3Likes dense planting and gentle flow in soft, slightly acidic water at 24-28 °C.
4Omnivorous with a meaty lean on pellets, flakes and brine shrimp; 7 cm adults suit a 60 cm tank.

Frequently asked questions

How big does Dwarf Gourami get?: Dwarf Gourami reaches an adult standard length of 5–7 cm (excluding the caudal fin). Size the tank for that, not for the juvenile you bring home — the difference is often several times over, and upgrading later costs more than buying once.
What water does Dwarf Gourami need?: 24–28 °C, pH 6–7.5, 2–12 dGH. That is only 4 °C wide, so stability matters more than hitting a particular number.
What is the smallest tank for Dwarf Gourami?: At least 60 L, and no shorter than 60 cm. That is the floor for long-term keeping, not for short-term survival: volume buys water stability and length buys swimming room, and neither substitutes for the other. It is not a schooling fish, so a single specimen or a pair is fine.
What is Dwarf Gourami like to keep?: Temperament: semi-aggressive. Difficulty: beginner. It occupies the middle and is omnivore. With plants it is "Leaves plants alone".