Three Spot Gourami (Trichopodus trichopterus)
The Three Spot Gourami is calm, and a laid back species full of personality and playfulness, and they will express minimal amounts of aggression. They are easy to care for, as they are hardy and can adapt to a variety of different water conditions; this makes them an excellent addition to many community aquariums.
The Three Spot Gourami has a greyish-blue body and gets its name from the ornamental black dots that run horizontally. What is lightly confusing is the fact that you can only visually see two dots and not three like its name. There are two spots in the midsection of their body, but the eye is considered the third spot.
Photos
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Trichopodus trichopterus |
| Year Described | 1770 |
| Other Names | Blue Gourami, Two Spot Gourami, Hairfin gourami |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Anabantiformes |
| Family | Osphronemidae |
| Genus | Trichopodus |
| Origins | Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Middle - Top |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | No |
| Best kept as | Groups 5+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Bubble nest |
| Lifespan | up to 5 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 5.5 - 8.5 |
| GH | 3 - 35 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 75 - 86℉ 23.9 - 30℃ | |
Feeding
In the home aquarium, the Three Spot 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.
Sexual Dimorphism
It is relatively straightforward to determine the sexes of this fish. The male is larger and develops a pointed dorsal and anal fin and has an elongated dorsal fin whereas the female is smaller and rounder in the belly.