Are you perplexed about which fish to bring at home? What to do to satisfy your interest in having fish? All of these questions might be worrying you. Therefore, I suggest you get Sparkling gourami, the beautiful fish, and a great choice for beginners. No matter what your experience level is with fish keeping, you can welcome Sparkling Gourami without any worries.
Sparkling gourami is a tiny fish with vibrant color and pattern on their body. The colorful pattern on the fish is something you would get drawn towards in fish. Besides their looks, they are also of peaceful temperament, which loves to be in the dense and dimed light setup.
You would not want to miss Sparkling Gourami to take home from the aquarium nursery as they are very easy to keep with fewer requirements.
Yet you will have a lot to take into account for preparation to bring them at home. So, I will be elaborating on every factor that could be a matter of concern to give your fish a healthy life. Therefore, I suggest you go through this article which will help you in welcoming and keeping Sparkling Gourami.
Quick Facts
| Scientific Name | Trichopsis Pumila |
| Care Level | Easy |
| Temperature | Peaceful |
| Color Form | Dark with Bright Spots on it |
| Lifespan | 4 to 6 Years |
| Size | Up to 1.6 inches ( About 4cm ) |
| Diet | Omnivorous ( will eat pellets ) |
| Family | Osphronemidae |
| Minimum Tank Size | 15 Gallons ( 40 Liter ) |
| Tank Setup | Freshwater (Planted) |
| Compatibility | Limited Compatibility |
| Availability | Common |
Appearance
There is no doubt that Sparkling Gourami is beautiful when you look at it for the very first sight. It will be very pleasant for your eyes to look at the vibrant colors and patterns on the fish.
You may also like Small Tropical Fish That Does Not Require Much Space.
The body structure of the fish is thin, long, and streamlined. The point where the body is thick is right where their ventral fins are grown whereas their body tapers are down to the caudal peduncle.
You will see that the dorsal fins are thin which you can see directing back while the fish swims. Opposite to that, the anal fins are larger and also cover a maximum of the space between causal fins and ventral fins.
Similarly, you would also find that the shape of the caudal fin of sparkling gouramis is like a shell that has a moderate surface area.
Meanwhile, Sparkling Gourami has very mesmerizing fins which are very pleasant to look at while swimming. Each of Sparkling Gourami fins’ is blue with black and a bold dark red stripe across the edge of the fins.
Besides that, the Sparkling Gourami fish body is a colorful mix of brown, green, and blue which makes it look vibrant in appearance. You will also see a darker midline stripe from the pectoral fin to the down of the caudal fin. Moreover, you can view randomly spaced dots above the stripe and solid lighter color below.
Tank And Maintenance
Whatever is your experience level for keeping a fish, you can easily care for the Sparkling Gourami fish. So, it is a plus point for your ease if you are planning to bring the sparkling gourami fish in your new or old tank.
Here are some easiest fish to breed if you are a beginner and looking for keeping an aquarium!
But there are a few things that you should keep in mind before bringing them to your house. Such as the tank water condition, their feeding stocks, tank mates, inside tank requirement, and so on.
I will be writing each factor for your ease to care for your fish.
Tank size
The first thing you should keep in mind for your fish is space to live. The tank size for the sparkling gourami should be about 10 to 15 gallons. It would be great if you manage 15 gallons because it will give your fish a little more space. Also, the footprint of the 15-gallon tank is minimal compared to the 10-gallon tank that will be perfect for your fish.
All Glass Aquarium AAG10015 Tank Black is a good choice for a 15-Gallon water tank if you are looking for one!
However, if you are willing to keep multiple sparkling gouramis in the tank then you should choose a large tank. Always use an extra 10-gallon size tank for each addition of fish. This means that for two fish you need to use 25 gallons, for three you need a 35-gallon tank size, and so on.
Get more information on The 8 Simple Step Process On How To Set Up a Fish Tank For Beginners.
Water Parameters
Water conditions should be stable for letting your fish thrive in captivity. You should take good care of water conditions. Therefore, the chilled aquarium water will stress your Sparkling Gourami. Make sure you manage the following water parameter for your fish to survive.
| Factor | Minimum | Maximum |
| Temperature | 72 F | 82 F |
| ph | 6 | 8 |
| Hardness | 5 | 16 |
| KH | 1 degree | 2 degree |
| Ammonia and Nitrites | 0 | |
| Water flow | Peaceful, slow |
However, some hobbyists are seen using distilled or reverse osmosis water for soft water aquariums. So, when you use distilled water, always check a carbonate hardness as the lower carbonate causes pH to be very acidic.
Most fish are fine in ph 5.5 waters but when it comes to soft, acidic aquariums you will need the ph level up to 6.
Some articles about the aquarium water parameters you may like:
- Maintain Aquarium Water Hardness – Freshwater Aquarium Guide
- How To Stop Water Evaporation In My Aquarium? : Causes And Remedies
Tap Water Safety
Distilled water will be chlorine-free. But, tap water is not chlorine-free, so they are toxic for tropical fish. The chlorine-containing water could harm your fish’s delicate gill tissue. So, better to use a water conditioner to neutralize chloramine and chlorine. And also flush out some water from the tap to reduce the level of copper coming with it.
Aquascaping
As you will be keeping your aquarium in, that will adorn your room beauty. So, why not to decorate the aquarium in such a way that it is favorable for your fish.
I will mention the things to be considered for the decoration of the aquarium below.
Substrate
You should use fine, dark gravel for your bottom part of your aquarium. It is considered to be very well with rooted pants as it balances with small size fish.
If you want to always enjoy the vibrant color of the fish, a dark substrate is a perfect choice.
Nevertheless, if you are using plastic plants, dark gravel will be fine.
I would suggest Carib Sea SuperNaturals Peace River (20LB) as a good substrate if you are looking for one.
Lighting
Sparkling Gourami prefers subdued light conditions. Therefore, you can get good light by having some adjustment feature that can turn your tank blackwater.
Subdued light conditions will allow your fish to feel comfortable in the aquarium. This will give you a chance to see its beautiful pattern when it is not stressed.
I would suggest you a NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light, Fish Tank Light with Extendable Brackets, 48-Inch of 32 Watts for your fish tank.
Plants
You must not miss placing pants in the aquarium because Sparkling Gourami loves tons of vegetation for habitat. Not involving enough vegetation can cause a lack of comfort and enrichment for your fish. So, to avoid stress levels, do not forget plants.
There are numerous plants to pair up with Sparkling Gourami fish. Sparkling Gourami would appreciate it if you place driftwood, roots, nooks, and crannies to hide in and explore. But, keep in mind that you maintain good space for it to swim and open the surface to breathe. However, you can make a good balance in a bigger tank size.
Learn more about 9 Best Low Light Aquarium Plants | Benefits of Aquarium Plants.
Here is the list of plants that you can use at your convenience.
| Plant | Growth | Placement | Link |
| Hornworts | Fast | Weighted or Floating |  |
| Guppy grasses | Rapid | Floating, Weighted, Planted | |
| Java Moss | Moderate | Floating or attached | |
| Salvinia | Fast | Floating | |
| Water Wisteria | Slow | Basically, anywhere. | |
| Bacopa | Moderate | Planted in substrate | |
| Pennywort | Rapid | Planted, weighed down, attached, or immersed | |
| Sweet Potato | Moderate | Attached or Floating | |
| Cabomba | Moderate | Planted or Floating | |
| Vallisneria | Moderate | Planted | |
Tank Mates
Sparkling Gourami fish are of very peaceful temperament. You must be very careful while you school them up with other fish.
Therefore, you should choose such a type of fish which is not larger that will eat them up. Also, tank mates should not be competitive, and aggressive. Sparkling Gourami cannot compete or defend itself when it gets in contact with aggressive fish.
So, you should choose less aggressive and competitive fish for its comfortable and longer lifespan.
Here are some species that can be great with Sparkling Gourami fish.
- Ember Tetra ( Hyphessobrycon Amanda )
- Bolivian Ram ( Mikrogeophagus Altispinosus )
- Amano shrimp ( Caridina multidentata )
- Lambchop Rasbora ( Trigonostigma Espei )
- Harlequin Rasbora ( Trigonostigma heteromorpha )
- Pygmy Corydoras ( Corydoras Pygmaeus )
- Otocinculus ( Otocinclus sp. )
- Scarlet Badis ( Dario Dario )
- Green Rasboras ( Microdevario Kubotai )
- Dwarf Scissortail Rasboras ( Rasbosoma Spilocerca )
- Cherry Barb ( Puntius Titteya )
- White Clouds
Things To Consider To Care For Your Fish
Most importantly, if you want your fish to have a longer lifespan than it has in its natural habitat, you should take care of the following factors.
Feedings
Sparkling Gourami will appreciate most when you feed them live food as they mostly eat zooplankton and insects in the wild. As a result, they will easily thrive in captivity. Yet again you can also serve them the frozen dried form of food.
Besides, you can also mix in some veggies in your fish diet. As a result, the fish will be more healthy with a balanced diet as it will cover a broad nutritional necessity.
Here is the list of food you can feed your Sparkling Gourami in captivity with some suggestions of the best ones.
- Frozen Dried Blackworms: Aquatic Foods Inc. Blackworms, Loose Freeze Dried California Blackworm 10gram
- Soft Pellets: Game Face Crosman 10000 Ct. Camo Ammo 12gram AirSoft BBs, Multi, One Size
- Frozen Mysis Shrimp: San Francisco Bay Brand Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp 3.35oz
- Golden Pearls: Aquatic Foods Inc. AFB Golden Pearls, 5-50 Microns Golden Pearls for Corals, Reef Tanks, Fry & Babies.1/8-lb
- Vibra Bites: Hikari Vibra Bites (9.8oz), Red
- Frozen Dried Tubifex: San Francisco Bay Brand/Sally’s Freeze-Dried Bacteria Free Tubifex – 4 oz.
- Bug Bites: Fluval Bug Bites Cichlid Fish Food, Pellets for Medium to Large Sized Fish, 3.53 oz., A6581
- Frozen Bloodworms: SAN FRANCISCO BAY Brand Freeze Dried Bloodworms 1.75oz
- Grub Pie: Repashy Grub Pie Insectivore Diet Gel Premix (Reptile) 12 Oz (3/4 lb) 340g JAR
Disease
When it comes to taking good care of fish, you should also be aware of the disease that could cause difficulty for the fish. Here is a list of diseases with symptoms and causes.
| Disease | Symptoms | Causes |
| Bloat |
|
|
| Ich ( White Spot Disease ) |
|
|
| Fin and tail rot |
|
|
| Columnaris ( Cotton Mouth Disease ) |
|
|
You might also like Treatment and Home Remedy for Fin Rot Disease in Aquarium Fish
Filtration
Water in the aquarium should be inhabitable. Therefore, you should check up on the quality of water quite often.
Since the fish has a labyrinth organ they can easily breathe in impure water, but it does not mean you do not need to clean water. Therefore, weekly 20% of the water should be changed twice for better water condition.
Is Too Much Water Change Harmful For Your Fish: How To Do It Safely. Find out here!
Also, check Why Do Fish Tanks Get Dirty So Fast – How To Clean And Maintain Tanks.
You can also filter that does not disturb the stability of water to keep the water clean. If that is not possible you can use a plant with a filter as a floating plant to prevent water from extreme movement.
It would be better for your fish if you use activated carbon filtration if there are driftwood and tannins.
Breeding
Unlike other species of fish, you can easily breed Sparkling Gourami in your home aquarium. Here, I will spot out the breeding procedure that will help you to breed at home.
Preparation For Breeding
You should always have preparation before you start any breeding procedure for successful breeding.
After you feed your fish enough, move your male fish to the breeding tank where there is a floating plant with no gravel.
You should lower the level of water to 5 inches and also, increase the water temperature to 82F.
Learn more about how to set up a fry tank from here.
Breeding Period
Once the male fish find a spot, you will see that it will start to develop a bubble nest where the eggs will be put. During this time he does not want the female to approach and often chases the female away until breeding is complete.
And, the spawning process starts when both fish feel comfortable. Until and unless all the eggs of females are released they embrace each other.
When all the eggs are released, male fish transport it to the nest for its safety.
Removing Female Gourami
It will be better if you remove the female Sparkling Gourami fish after the spawning is done. You will see that male fish start to be aggressive to protect the egg. So, it is better to remove the female fish to avoid aggression in the breeding tank.
The male fish protects all of the eggs ( i.e, approx 200 eggs).
Hatch and Fry
You can see the egg hatching in two to three days, depending upon the temperature of the water. Therefore, keep a good watch on the water temperature so that the breeding process completes successfully.
When the eggs are hatched, the male fish will manage to keep the fry in a bubble nest for the next 48 to 72 hours until they start swimming. Therefore, you would not have to worry about fry.
And, I would suggest you remove the male fish after the fry is ready to swim. Because the father could eat them up, you should remove the male fish as well.
By the end of the first week, the fry grows and accepts the micro worms and vinegar eels. And, by the end of the second week, it will accept baby shrimp.
After a few months, they will be able to find their own home as they become adults with time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Sparkling Gourami jump?
Sparkling gourami is less likely to jump. However, you should keep your tank lid tight. They swim on the top of the water level for fresh air. This might get them at risk if you have a cat in your house.
Why Is My Gourami Sitting On The Bottom?
Sometimes, you might see your Sparkling Gourami staying on the bottom which is not a good sign. So, wondering why? It may be because they are feeling sick or the water condition on the upper level is not inhabitable.
Due to the stress caused by the change in standard water parameters, your fish might stay on a lower level. So, better you check the time and again for good care.
How Can I Know The Sex Of Sparkling Gourami?
It is quite difficult to know the sex of fish due to their size. However, you can easily distinguish between the male and female. Firstly, by looking at the belly as the female has rounded compared to males.
Secondly, you can also differentiate males and females by checking upon the dorsal fins. The dorsal fins of the female are oval and short whereas the male has a long and pointed dorsal fin.
Can A Beginner Pet Sparkling Gourami?
In short Yes, Sparkling Gourami is easy to handle as they require less care to thrive. Sparkling Gourami is a very peaceful loving species that is less aggressive and would go easily in the home aquarium. Also, they can be easily grouped with other species of fish.
You may also like:
Conclusion
Sparkling Gourami fish is the species that you would want to keep as they are very easy to handle. As you have come to know by now that they are owner friendly fish. Therefore, you want to get them immediately in your house. You would be mesmerized to see the fish as they will adorn your aquarium with their vibrant color and pattern.
With fewer problems, you can manage a good environment for your fish as I have already mentioned above. You should keep in mind that even though they need less attention to care, you should take care of the water condition.
The fish that can be bred in the house aquarium is mostly demanded by many hobbyists. So, why not to have Sparkling Gourami fish in your aquarium.
Related articles:
