Blue Gourami | A to Z Guide – Care, Tank Mates, Size and Diet

Overview/Origin

The blue gouramis are cool-hued fishes from the waters of Southeast Asia. They are more prominent in places such as China, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Laos. The fish has also spread territories even in Vietnam, and the Philippines, and is said to be more rampant in rainy seasons.

Blue gouramis have been scientifically named Trichogaster trichopterus. The fish is from the family of Osphronemidae. Most of the time, they are deemed to have the same appearance the three-spotted gourami was known for. If you have not heard yet of the blue gourami, then you might have learned them by other names. On the market trade, they are the Giant gouramis, Gold gouramis, Siamese or Opaline gouramis.

Not only are the blue gouramis considered unique in color and appearance but they are also considered one of the most hardy gouramis out there! If you are looking forward to owning this fish, then we have set here some guidelines for you to know.

Appearance

Just as their name suggests, the blue gouramis have apparent cerulean to cobalt hues. With such monochromatic colors of blue, they give a fresher look to your usual transparent tank fishes!

Their bodies had signature spots on them. You may see these spots at the center of their bodies and the beginning of their tails. The fish fins are all rounded, and their flat, elongated bodies have amazing labyrinth organs. The organ helps the fish to breathe air out of the water, too!

If one carefully observes the glistening fish, their body colors even seem to change every moment. These can be due to their moods daily. If an owner sees that the pigmentation of the fish’s body starts to fade,  he should know that it can also be a sign that the fish has frail health or stress.

Behaviour & Temperament

Are Blue Gouramis aggressive?

We classify blue gouramis as slightly combative in behavior. While they are most likely carefree and would only nip plants more than the fellow tank mates they had, they can still get into in-fighting from time to time. 

The male ones tend to be more territorial than females. In captivity, their attack-and-defend nature can occur because of a small-sized or overcrowded tank. The owner must assure that there could be enough space for each fish as well as lessen the number of males in the tank, if possible. A tank with volumes of water has a long way to go!

Blue gouramis would enjoy roaming on spacious tanks. Of course, doing so will also benefit the other fish species they have in the company! Take more consideration to the tank mates they will have for you to ensure that only the best behavior comes out from your blue gouramis.   

Lifespan

How long does Blue Gourami live?

You may keep the blue gouramis for more or less five years. Such life expectancy can be typical to few freshwater species. But as a fish owner, you must note the other factors that could also affect the life expectancy of your blue gouramis. 

For example, if the fish gets to live in a small tank, (or a densely populated community tank), then the fish might get stressed. Stress contributes to weaker stamina and may result in their early deaths.

Aside from the size of their home, tank water also comes to the scene.  If the water is not regularly changed, it could be a breeding ground for fatal disease-causing bacteria and parasites! For the longevity of your fish, follow a regular schedule of tank and water maintenance.

Make sure that you also keep a lot of nutritious foods for the gouramis. Not only would they have a healthy appetite, but they could also get a higher chance of extra years of living!

Common Diseases

Like most tropical or freshwater tank fishes, blue gouramis can also be prone to common diseases. As an owner, you should have basic knowledge of how these diseases could be a true life sentence for your fish if it occurred.

Be mindful of any symptoms of parasitic or bacterial infections. These things can manifest through ich, dropsy, or even Velvet disease! Such fish diseases are known in the fishkeeping world, and being a responsible owner can be the only thing you can do for your tank’s safety.   

Any pathogen that breeds in your fish tank can be caused by unclean water, or excessive ammonium production, among a few others. So make sure that you will religiously replace the water and make the tank stress-free!

Size

How big do Blue Gourami get?

An adult blue gourami can grow for up to five inches. With such size, many owners would randomly take in other same-sized fish species for the fish to have company. 

The size of the blue gourami can also be affected by the food they eat. Consider alternating natural and commercially sold fish foods to suffice the health needs of your fish.

Most of the time, blue gouramis with good breeding tend to be larger and have better build even if they mature. As an aspiring owner of this fish, research well for a superb and trusted gourami breeder to get high-class blue gourami.

How many Blue Gourami can be kept together?

With the blue gouramis, you can keep a half dozen of them in a standard-sized tank! But as the fish tends to be mildly aggressive, you would want to keep more of the females than the males. 

As earlier mentioned, males can be quite not-so-friendly around other fellow fishes and even more, to those who they see as a rival for space—  these are other males mostly!

The good news is, the male and female blue gouramis do not differ a lot in body appearance. Females are slighter bigger than males but the difference can be hard to see. But knowing this fact, owners can assure that the unique coloration of the blue gouramis stands out on both sexes!

Blue Gourami Care

Tank Size

It would be best to install a larger tank than a standard one for the gouramis. The fish do love to roam around their home and a tank that will be able for them to do so is gleeful to them. A 30-gallon tank would suffice their fish activities, but having a larger one is still ideal. 

A standard 20-gallon can also be enough if you have young gouramis. But if you have more large, or adult fish still it is better to go for a tank that can hold more water capacity.

Tank Setup

Mimicking the tank with their natural ecosystem will be very beneficial for the fish. But make sure that there would be an ample area of swimming space up the water’s surface. The blue gouramis have labyrinth organs that make them able to breathe oxygen directly in the air, and they might stay more at the middle to top of the tank. Plus, low-oxygen tanks are easy-peasy to them!

Sand can be an excellent substrate for the fish tank. You may also try gravel if you want or if that is more available to you. You can aim for a background that complements well the color of the blue gouramis, and the darker the substrate, the better!

Give extra attention to the plants you put in the tank too. Blue gouramis will love to move around lush live plants and so you should be creative in varying these greens in the tank!

Add decorations that will exude the lively feel of the water scenery. A beautifully themed tank will be very enjoyable to watch all day. You can have stones or rocks that are cave-like or those that aid oxygen to the tank. 

Other essentials for the tank include water filtration and lighting. Go for a filter that supports a low cycle of water. Blue gouramis dwell on slow current waters and it would be efficient for them to live on the tank with the same status. For the lighting, no specific standards are needed but if you have other fish species in the tank you can adjust it instead for their requirements.

Water conditions

The tank water of your gouramis also has to have a consistent state that you have to monitor. Take the following water parameters for your pet fish:

• Water Temperature: in between 72°F to 82°F would be superb
• Water Hardness: aim for a level of 4 to 18 dKH only
• Acidity: the gouramis thrive in pH Levels that go in the middle range of acidic and base constituents (7.5 or neutral).

Note that having a water test kit will make it easier for you to check the water daily. At tank purchase, a shop would even recommend you to buy one.

Diet & Feeding

What do Blue Gouramis eat?

Blue gouramis are so easy to feed! You can offer them anything that any aquarium fish loves to eat. A mix of dried, frozen, or live foods for your gouramis is good, but stick to a healthy diet. 

The daily appetite may consist of dry flakes, pellets, and snacks of high quality. You can also treat them with brine shrimps, blood worms, or tubifex worms.

As omnivores, veggies can also be part of their meals. Allowing this variety on your gouramis ensures that they get sorts of vitamins and nutrients for their body and might also help in the vibrancy of their color!

How often should I feed my Blue Gourami?

Gouramis can have food once or twice a day. The same also goes for our blue gouramis. The fish will eat anything you give them, and even if you offer a large serving to the gourami, it would probably be enjoying it all at once. Let them consume the food for three to five minutes. After that, take away all excess food to prevent ammonia build-up in the water.

How long can Blue Gourami go without food?

While you might not be able to monitor the gouramis all the time, you have to make sure that they are well-fed before you get to any leave. Most adult tank fishes can endure days to two weeks of no food servings. Of course, that could also be possible with the blue gouramis but you have to do this with care. 

If you need to leave your tank fishes for a while, make sure they have been eating sufficient food regularly. With the gouramis being omnivores, plants that are edible can be provided to them while you are away too. 

Tank Mates

What fish can live with Blue Gourami?

It is not surprising to know that gouramis may not go well with smaller tank fishes. To assure that you get that peaceful fish community out of the blue gouramis, consider having more of the following fishes:

• Clown loaches
• Larger-sized tetras
• Platies
• Scavenger catfishes

A general rule is to keep tank mates that would not be bothered in the presence of the blue gouramis. Fishes that lie low in the tank are sometimes the best choices. 

What fish don’t do well with Blue Gourami?

Of course, there are still fishes that see gouramis as rivals are predators too. The following are the ones that you must never include in the same tank as the blue gouramis:

• Bettas
• Angelfish
• Guppies
• Dwarf gouramis
• Goldfishes
• Flowerhorn Fish

Breeding

The breeding may take place in a different tank for more convenience. The process is fascinating to watch once the male starts doing the bubble nest. Well, not all tank fishes can blow bubbles for an egg nest! 

The tank can be made conducive for spawning if the lighting and water temperature are well-adjusted. The adult male will try to attract the female by doing a mating ritual. If successful, the pair would bind their bodies together, and the male will fertilize the eggs that the females will release.

When the female is done giving off eggs, you can take it away from the male already. The male will start to tend the eggs and will roam around them most of the time to make sure that they stay in the egg nest.

Hatching may occur within two to three days. When this happens, you must be able to provide infusoria or nauplii to the fry for their sustenance.  

Summary

Are Blue Gouramis easy to care for?

Taking care of blue gouramis doesn’t require expertise from the fish owners. But instead, the fish would be needing extra time and attention for you especially when you are starting to keep them. The fish is excellent even for beginners! Also, keeping up with your research and asking around in online forums will grant you more knowledge about them!