Snakeskin gourami
Trichopodus pectoralis
Also known asSiamese gourami · Sepat siam
Water parameters
Minimum tank: 200 L per individual at harvest size.
Feed and growth
- Feed protein
- 32% target
- Daily feed (warm)
- 2.00% of body weight
- Daily feed (cool)
- 0.70% of body weight
- Max density
- 30 g per litre
A 300 g adult eats about 6.0 g of feed per day at optimum. 10 fish at adult size: ~60 g daily.
Legality
Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Verify with your local fisheries or wildlife authority before stocking.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | check local regulations | Hobby trade legal in most US states; food aquaculture registration may apply verified 2026-05-13 |
| Northern Territory | check local regulations | Tropical Australia may permit; cooler states do not verified 2026-05-13 |
Unlisted jurisdictions default to "check local regulations".
Origin and habitat
Native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins of mainland Southeast Asia, across Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, in marshes, swamps, floodplains and slow rivers. A labyrinth fish of the family Osphronemidae, formerly placed in Trichogaster, it breathes air through a labyrinth organ and so endures water with very little oxygen. The common name comes from the snake-like banding on its flanks. It is the largest of the Trichopodus gouramis, reaching about 25 cm, with most fish around 15 cm, and it carries a high meat yield for its size, with firm, mild, relatively boneless flesh. Snakeskin gourami ranks among Thailand's top five farmed freshwater fishes and is a rural protein staple in Cambodia, often sold dried. It has been moved into aquaculture beyond its native range, including tropical Africa, South Asia and Indonesia.
Climate and outdoor ponds
- Climate
- tropical (needs warm water year-round)
- USDA zones
- 10–13 (winter low around -1°C or warmer)
- Heating needed
- yes
- Cooling needed
- no
Care notes
A warm-water food fish for tropical aquaponics where it is established and valued. It grows best in the high 20s Celsius within a band of about 22–32°C, reaching roughly 200–400 g in 8 to 12 months on pellet of 25 to 32 percent protein, or more cheaply in fertilised ponds where it grazes algae, plants, zooplankton and detritus. Feed conversion on pellet runs about 1.5 to 2.5, and the broad, mostly herbivorous diet keeps feed costs down in integrated systems. The labyrinth organ lets it tolerate dissolved oxygen down around 1 mg/L, a useful buffer against pump or power failure, so it can be stocked fairly densely, near {density:15}-{density:25}. Water-quality tolerance is wide across pH, temperature and hardness. Breeding is easy: the male builds a surface bubble nest, gathers the fertilised eggs into it and guards them, with both parents tending the fry, so hatcheries across Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam supply cheap fingerlings. It is rarely farmed outside tropical Asia. For Southeast Asian growers it is a practical, affordable and culturally fitting choice.