Photos © Sean Evans
Left: Pair of Dwarf gouramies, with plainer silver female below a banded variety male.
Right: Male, 'blood red' variety
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| Common name: | Dwarf gourami |
| Scientific name: | Colisa lalia |
| Synonyms: | (none) |
| Size: | 2" (5cm) |
| Origin: | India |
| Tank setup: | Planted tank with gentle circulation and some floating plants. |
| Compatibility: | Normally peaceful, but may become territorial with other gouramies or similar fish. |
| Temperature: | 22-28oC (72-82oF) |
| Water chemistry: | Good water quality required, soft to medium hard, pH 6.5-7.5 |
| Feeding: | Omnivorous, most foods accepted, include plenty of vegetable matter. |
| Sexing: | Males are generally larger, and more colourful; females tend to be silvery. |
| Breeding: | Bubble nest builder. Remove female after spawning.
The male will guard the eggs and fry, and should be removed when they are free swimming. |
| Comments: |
Best kept in pairs in a peaceful, well planted aquarium. A variety of colour forms have been produced, including
'Blood red' (pictured), 'Neon blue', etc.
The captive-bred stock currently available seem quite prone to internal problems such as Dropsy. To minimise the chances of this,
maintain excellent water quality and feed a varied diet.
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