Three-spot gourami

Water parameters

Tolerated range for this species. Aim for the middle of each band rather than the extremes.

Tank and habitat

Substrate: any.

Behavior

Plant interaction: plant safe.

Feeding

Omnivore that eats everything: flake, pellets, frozen food, live food, blanched vegetables, algae. Not picky. Feeds at the surface and mid-water. A larger gourami with a proportionally bigger appetite; feed once or twice daily. They'll graze on algae and biofilm between meals.

Compatibility

• Larger gourami (12–15 cm) that's more assertive than honey or pearl gouramis. Males become territorial with age and harass other gouramis and slow-moving fish in the same zone.
• One male per tank is the standard advice. Two males fight. A male with 2-3 females works in a 150 L tank with plant cover. The female needs escape routes.
• Sold under multiple common names depending on color variant: blue gourami (wild-type), gold gourami (yellow morph), opaline gourami (marbled morph), and platinum gourami (pale silver). All are the same species (Trichopodus trichopterus).
• Tankmates should be robust enough to handle occasional chasing: barbs, larger tetras, catfish, loaches. Avoid very small or very timid species.

Origin and habitat

Native to southeastern Asia, ranging from Yunnan (China) through mainland Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) to Indonesia (Java, Borneo, and Sumatra). Widely introduced outside its native range, including the Philippines, India, Sulawesi, and southwestern Trinidad. Inhabits marshes, swamps, canals, lowland wetlands, and slow-moving freshwater habitats; migrates during the flood season from permanent water bodies to seasonally flooded forests, returning during the dry season. The labyrinth organ allows atmospheric air breathing, giving the species a significant advantage in oxygen-poor environments. Wild coloration is brown with irregular dark shoulder marks, yellowish on the opercles and thorax; the familiar blue and other color morphs are captive-bred selections. The common name refers to two dark spots on each side of the body plus the eye as the third spot. Variety names include opaline/opal gourami (marbled pattern), blue gourami, gold/golden gourami, platinum gourami, and lavender/amethyst gourami. Reaches a maximum of 15 cm standard length; common length about 10 cm. Previously classified as Trichogaster trichopterus; the genus Trichopodus was reinstated after a 1997 correction to a 1923 misinterpretation. Also of minor commercial importance as a food fish in its native range. IUCN Least Concern.

Breeding

Bubble nest builder. The male constructs a large nest among floating plants, then courts the female with darkened coloring and flared fins. The spawning embrace produces 700-1000+ eggs per batch, far more than smaller gouramis. The male collects falling eggs and places them in the nest. After spawning, the male guards the nest and should be the sole adult in the tank; he'll attack the female if she approaches the nest. Eggs hatch in 24-36 hours. Fry are tiny and need infusoria for the first week, then baby brine shrimp. The massive clutch size means a single spawning can produce hundreds of fry. The species is bred on an industrial scale; three-spot gouramis are among the cheapest tropical fish available.

Common problems

Male aggression is the main issue, especially in tanks under 150 L. A dominant male gourami monopolizes the upper third of the tank and chases everything that enters. The gold and opaline variants are reputed to be slightly less aggressive than the blue, though individual variation matters more than morph. Dwarf gourami iridovirus (DGIV) does not affect this species; T. trichopterus is a different genus from the dwarf gourami (T. lalius). Ich and bacterial infections are the standard disease risks. The species is otherwise very hardy and tolerant of poor conditions, which is both an advantage (survivability) and a risk (keepers get lazy about maintenance because the fish seems fine until it isn't). Overfeeding leads to fatty liver; keep portions controlled.

Bioload

Further reading

• How to cycle a fish tank
• Stocking ideas by tank size