Tankwise

A calm, pearl-spotted labyrinth fish for a peaceful larger tank. Males can be territorial.

  • Temperature24–28 °C
  • pH6.5–8
  • Minimum tank90 L
  • DifficultyIntermediate
FoodFlake/pellet + frozen food
FeedingOnce or twice a day
Water change25% weekly

Behaviour and habits

The pearl gourami is a large, calm labyrinth fish named for the pearl-like spots that cover its body, and it is one of the more peaceful gouramis. It cruises mid-water, breathes air at the surface and can be shy, so it does best in a peaceful, roomy tank with dither fish to encourage it out. Males may spar and bully, especially when breeding, and it is a long-lived fish that rewards a calm, well-planted setup.

What to feed, and how often

An omnivore: flake or pellet plus frozen bloodworm, daphnia and the odd vegetable. Feed once or twice a day, matching the amount to its size; it is greedy and the tank fouls quickly if overfed, so keep the water clean.

Water changes and maintenance

Change about 25% weekly in a well-filtered tank, keeping the lid on and the flow gentle. A large fish means a fair amount of waste, so clean filtration and steady water matter.

Care and how easy it is

Suits a peaceful larger community; give it space, calm tankmates, a lid and some plant cover.

Lifespan

With good conditions and steady water quality, this species typically lives around 6–8 years in a home aquarium; some individuals live longer.

Common health problems

Prone to ich and fin rot when chilled or stressed by bullying.

If it gets sick

Warm the tank, reduce any bullying, and treat ich early, watching the whole tank rather than one fish.

Good tank mates

CorydorasBeginner
CorydorasCorydoras paleatus
  • 20–26°C
  • pH 6–7.8
  • 60 L+
Catfish · Peaceful · Omnivore
Harlequin rasboraBeginner
Harlequin rasboraTrigonostigma heteromorpha
  • 22–27°C
  • pH 6–7.5
  • 60 L+
Tetras & rasboras · Peaceful · Omnivore
BettaBeginner with a prepared single-fish tank
BettaBetta splendens
  • 24-26 C
  • pH 6.5-7.5
  • 40 L+; 45 x 30 cm base
Bettas & gouramis | Territorial | Carnivore

Best avoided with

Similar species

BettaBeginner with a prepared single-fish tank
BettaBetta splendens
  • 24-26 C
  • pH 6.5-7.5
  • 40 L+; 45 x 30 cm base
Bettas & gouramis | Territorial | Carnivore
Honey gouramiBeginner
Honey gouramiTrichogaster chuna
  • 22–28°C
  • pH 6–7.5
  • 50 L+
Bettas & gouramis · Peaceful · Omnivore
Dwarf gouramiIntermediate
Dwarf gouramiTrichogaster lalius
  • 22-27 C
  • pH 6.0-7.5
  • 60 L or more; at least 60 x 30 cm base for one
Bettas & gouramis | Shy but territorial | Omnivore

Compare at a glance

ParametersPearl gouramiBettaHoney gouramiDwarf gourami
Parameters
Temp24–28 °C24–28 °C22–28 °C22–27 °C
pH6.5–86–7.56–7.56–7.5
GH5–15 °dGH2–12 °dGH2–12 °dGH2–12 °dGH
Min. tank90 L20 L50 L50 L
Size10 cm6 cm5 cm6 cm
DietOmnivoreCarnivoreOmnivoreOmnivore
TemperamentPeacefulSemi-aggressivePeacefulPeaceful
DifficultyIntermediateBeginnerBeginnerIntermediate

Care guides

GuideHow Often Should You Feed Fish?Overfeeding causes more aquarium problems than underfeeding. Here is a realistic feeding routine, and the signs that you are giving too much.GuideHow Often Should You Change Aquarium Water?Water changes remove waste that the filter cannot, and keep minerals topped up. There is no single number, but there is a simple way to find yours.GuideHow to Treat Ich (White Spot Disease)Ich looks alarming but is one of the most treatable fish diseases. Act early, raise the heat, and it clears within a week or two — here is how.

New to the words? See the aquarium glossary.

Sources and research notes

Parameters are typical ranges for the species in home aquariums and vary with the individual fish and the water you use.