Native to Southeast Asia, the gold gourami is a freshwater aquarium fish in the Osphronemidae family. It is hardy and beginner-friendly, and its gold and orange color makes it a popular alternative to other gourami fish.
Gold gouramis are a color morph of the three spot gourami that lacks the two dark body spots. Like their wild relatives, they can turn territorial and bossy with age, so tank mates need to be chosen with care.
Gold gouramis are best kept with medium-sized, robust, peaceful-to-semi-aggressive fish that occupy different parts of the tank, such as cherry barbs, larger tetras, rasboras, corydoras and bristlenose plecos. Avoid tiny fish, shrimp, long-finned fish, and other types of gourami, especially other males. Give a pair or a community a tank of at least 30 gallons, and 55 gallons or more if you want multiple fish.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Gold Gourami Facts & Overview
| Category | Rating |
| Care Level: | Easy |
| Temperament: | Semi-aggressive; males can turn territorial with age |
| Color: | Gold or orange-yellow with a darker marbled or striped pattern along the back |
| Lifespan: | 4–6 years |
| Size: | About 4–6 inches (up to roughly 15 cm) |
| Diet: | Omnivore |
| Family: | Osphronemidae |
| Minimum Tank Size: | 30 gallons for one fish or a pair (55 or more for a community) |
| Tank Set-Up: | Freshwater, calm water, floating and tall plants, driftwood, hiding places; about 75–82°F |
| Compatibility: | Robust, medium-sized, non-nipping fish; avoid other gouramis, tiny fish and timid fish |
The gold gourami (Trichopodus trichopterus) belongs to the Osphronemidae family of labyrinth fish. The gold form is a color morph of the three-spot gourami. Color morphs arise from genetic mutations that are then selected for by breeders.
The wild three-spot gourami lives in Southeast Asia, in slow, heavily vegetated water such as marshes, swamps, canals and rice paddies. The gold form is an aquarium and farm-bred variety, so you will not find it in the wild.
Gold gouramis are sold at most large pet stores and online, usually for a few dollars each. With good care they commonly live 4 to 6 years, and some live longer.
Appearance & Behavior
Gold gouramis are gold or orange-yellow with a darker marbled or striped pattern along the back. Their fins are large and rounded, and the pelvic fins are thread-like feelers that they use to explore.
Two things change their color: mood and water quality. Stress from bullying, poor water or a bad tank mate can make a gold gourami pale, dull, or darker than normal. If your fish suddenly changes color, test the water and check how other fish are treating it.
Adults reach about 4 to 6 inches (up to roughly 6 inches or 15 cm), a little smaller in cramped tanks.
How Can You Tell Male and Female Gold Gouramis Apart?
Males are usually larger and slimmer, and have a longer, pointed dorsal fin. Females are smaller and rounder in the body, with a shorter, rounded dorsal fin. The difference is easier to see in adults.
Typical Behavior
Gold gouramis are among the more assertive fish in the gourami family. Seriously Fish notes that some individuals become spiteful as they mature while others stay peaceful, and males are territorial, especially when breeding. You may see chasing, ramming and nipping, and they may eat fish small enough to swallow.
They are labyrinth fish, which means they gulp air from the surface as well as breathing with gills. They spend a lot of time in the upper and middle levels. Dense planting, floating plants and tall decor give them cover and break up lines of sight.
Males build a bubble nest at the surface. The nest holds the eggs, and the male guards it.
Gold Gourami Care
Gold gouramis are tough and tolerate a wide range of conditions, including lower oxygen than most fish. They still do best in clean, stable water.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- A tank that is too small. A 10-gallon tank is too small for an adult.
- Mixing with other gouramis. Males in particular fight, and some keepers lose other gouramis to them.
- Tiny tank mates. Neon tetras, small rasboras, shrimp and fry may be hunted or eaten.
- Cold air above the tank. Labyrinth fish breathe air, so a lid and a stable room temperature help prevent chilling.
Diseases such as ich, fin rot and fungal infections appear when water quality is poor or the tank is overcrowded. Signs of illness include white spots, ragged fins, clamped fins, hiding, loss of appetite and gasping at the surface.
What Do Gold Gouramis Eat?
Gold gouramis are omnivores and accept almost any food. Use a quality flake or pellet as the staple, and add frozen or live foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp and daphnia a few times a week. Vegetables such as blanched zucchini and peas, or spirulina flakes, round out the diet.
Feed once or twice a day in amounts they finish in a couple of minutes.
Habitat and Tank Requirements
Gold gouramis prefer calm water with many plants. Decorate the tank like a marsh: floating plants, tall plants, driftwood and hiding places. Leave some open space at the surface so they can breathe air.
What Size Tank Does a Gold Gourami Need?
Plan on at least 30 gallons for one gold gourami or a pair, and choose a longer tank (36 inches or more) rather than a tall one. Seriously Fish lists a minimum base of 90 x 30 cm (35 x 12 inches) for the species. For a community tank, or if you want to add other gouramis, 55 gallons or more gives better room for hiding and fewer fights.
Tank Conditions
Gold gouramis are adaptable, but stable conditions keep them healthy.
- Temperature: about 75 to 82°F (reported ranges run from 72 to 86°F)
- pH: about 6.0 to 8.0 (5.5 to 8.5 reported)
- Hardness: soft to hard, with figures from 3 to 35 dGH reported. Keep it stable.
- Flow: gentle. A sponge filter or a filter with an adjustable outflow works well.
Because gouramis breathe air from the surface, try to keep the air above the water close to the water temperature.
Gold Gourami Tank Mates
The right tank mates matter more than almost anything else for this fish. Choose robust, medium to large fish that are not shy and do not nip.
Compatible options include:
- Cherry barbs
- Larger peaceful tetras such as black skirt or serpae (the serpae is a mild nipper, so watch it)
- Corydoras catfish and loaches
- Bristlenose plecos (the species plecostomus needs a much larger tank than most gourami setups)
- Mystery snails, though gouramis may nip at their antennae
Avoid or be careful with:
- Fin nippers such as tiger barbs, which can harass the gourami’s long fins. (Some sources suggest tiger barbs as robust tank mates, but long-finned gouramis are a risk in a small tank.)
- Very small fish such as neon tetras and dwarf shrimp, which they may eat once adult
- Other gouramis, particularly other males, and similar-looking fish
- Very timid or slow fish that cannot get away
- Kissing gouramis, which can grow to twice the size and are aggressive toward similar fish
- Blue tetras are small and peaceful, so they are a poor match for a large, assertive gourami
A tank with lots of plants and visual barriers improves your chances. Have a backup plan, such as a spare tank, in case an individual turns out to be a bully.
Diet and Feeding
Gold gouramis are omnivores that eat plants, algae and invertebrates in the wild. In a tank, a varied diet of flake or pellets plus frozen and live foods keeps them in good color.
Offer small amounts once or twice a day and remove uneaten food. Feed live food in moderation to avoid introducing parasites. Use frozen or freeze-dried foods when possible.
Breeding
Gold gouramis breed easily in captivity. They are bubble nesters. A pair produces large spawns, with Seriously Fish reporting 500 to 1,200 eggs, and fry become free-swimming about 4 to 5 days after hatching.
- Condition the pair with plenty of live and frozen food for a couple of weeks. A female that is plump with eggs is ready.
- Set up a separate breeding tank of at least 15 gallons with lots of floating plants and a very gentle filter or none, at around 80°F. Keep the water level lower than normal if you can (about 6 inches), as it makes it easier for fry to reach the surface.
- Add the pair. The male builds a bubble nest, courts the female and wraps around her. The eggs float up and he places them in the nest.
- Remove the female after spawning, since the male becomes aggressive toward her. Remove the male once the fry are free-swimming, because he may eat them.
- Feed the fry infusoria or liquid fry food, then newly hatched brine shrimp as they grow. Keep the surface covered to protect the developing labyrinth organ from cold air.
Should You Get a Gold Gourami for Your Aquarium?
Get a gold gourami if you have a tank of 30 gallons or more, want a hardy and colorful fish, and are willing to plan the tank mates. Skip it if your tank is small or full of tiny fish.
Most of the trouble with this species comes from tank mates and tank size, not from basic care.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fish can live with gouramis in a tank?
For a gold gourami, robust, medium-sized, non-nipping fish such as cherry barbs, larger tetras, rasboras, corydoras and bristlenose plecos work best. Keep them in a tank of 30 gallons or more with plenty of plants, and avoid tiny fish, shrimp, long-finned fish and other gouramis.
Are gourami good community fish?
Gold gouramis can be, but only with careful tank mates. They are semi-aggressive and males often become territorial with age, so the right tank mates and enough space matter more than anything else. Skip them for a tank full of tiny or timid fish.
Can gouramis live with guppies?
It is risky. Guppies are small and a gold gourami may hunt or eat fry and tiny fish, so robust fish such as cherry barbs or larger tetras are a safer choice. If you try it, use a large, heavily planted tank and watch for chasing.
Is a blue gourami aggressive?
It can be. The gold gourami is a color morph of the three spot gourami, the same species as the blue gourami, so it is semi-aggressive too. Males often become territorial as they mature, especially around breeding, and aggression is not predictable.
Are gouramis hard to keep alive?
No. Gold gouramis are hardy and care level is easy, and most problems come from tank mates and tank size rather than basic care. Give them a tank of 30 gallons or more and stable warm water, and they usually live 4 to 6 years.
Can you keep two gold gouramis together?
It is risky. Males are territorial and may fight, and a male can also harass a female. A pair in a large, heavily planted tank, or a single fish, is safer than two males.
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