Honey Gourami (Trichogaster chuna)
The Honey Gourami is a peaceful, shy, and attractive little fish that should only be kept in community tanks with plants and other mild fish. It is a nervous fish and easily accented by boisterous fish. An established tank with good water quality is suggested, These Gouramis get bored very quickly so they do require plenty of plants, decorations and places that they can explore as well as hide in if they feel threatened at all. With the right conditions, this fish would be ideal for the beginner as well as the experienced aquarist.
There are a few different colour forms available with this fish, but their natural body colour is a lovely honey shade of orangy-brown with the infrequent appearance of fiery red and dark blue and black.
Their throat area is a silvery colour and disappears quite quickly once it reaches their head or belly. On their fins, the central portion is a light yellow, and the rims are a deep orange. Females are silvery with a very light grey on their fins.
Photos
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Trichogaster chuna |
| Year Described | 1822 |
| Other Names | Sunset Gourami, Red Flame Gourami |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Anabantiformes |
| Family | Osphronemidae |
| Genus | Trichogaster |
| Origins | Bangladesh |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Middle - Top |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | No |
| Best kept as | Groups 5+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Bubble nest |
| Lifespan | up to 8 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| GH | 4 - 10 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 72 - 82℉ 22.2 - 27.8℃ | |
Feeding
In the home aquarium, the Honey Gourami will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.
Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.
It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.
This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.
Tank Mates
1 interesting tank mate ideas for the Honey Gourami could include:
Sexual Dimorphism
It is relatively simple to differentiate males from female Honey Gouramis. The males have more elongated fins, with a pointed dorsal fin and extended anal fin rays and are a lot more vibrant in colour, whereas the female is duller and generally get slightly larger than the males. However, it can be almost impossible to tell in some bred colour morphs.