Dwarf Gourami (Trichogaster fasciata):

• Scientific Name:Trichogaster fasciata (synonyms: Trichogaster lalius, Colisa lalia)
• Common Name: Dwarf Gourami, Flame Gourami, Powder Blue Gourami
• Family: Osphronemidae
• Origin: India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh
• Adult Size: Up to 7.5 cm (3 inches)
• Lifespan: 3 to 5 years

• Temperature: 24°C to 28°C
• pH Range: 6.0 to 7.5 (Slightly acidic to neutral)
• Hardness: 4 to 15 dGH
• Nitrate: Strictly below 15 mg/L

• Minimum Volume: 40 litres for a single specimen or a well-matched pair.
• Community Footprint: A minimum of 75 litres is recommended if sharing space with other species.

• Substrate: Smooth, dark gravel or sand to accent their iridescent colours.
• Hiding Places: Smooth bogwood, rock caves, and terracotta structures to provide visual barriers.
• Surface Environment: Crucial to leave an open air gap of 2–3 cm between the water surface and the lid. As labyrinth fish, they must gulp atmospheric oxygen directly from the surface.

• Filtration: Low-flow filtration is vital. Strong currents exhaust these fish, disrupt their swimming, and destroy their bubble nests. Use a sponge filter or a baffled canister filter.
• Plants: Dense back-row planting using Vallisneria, Hygrophila, and Java Fern.
• Floating Plants: Essential cover provided by species like Amazon Frogbit, Salvinia, or Duckweed. These diffuse bright lighting and provide anchor points for breeding.

• Dry Foods: High-quality tropical flakes, freeze-dried granules, and crushed algae wafers.
• Frozen and Live Foods: Regular supplements of Daphnia, bloodworms, cyclops, and enriched brine shrimp.
• Feeding Strategy: Feed small amounts once or twice daily. Ensure food stays at the surface or mid-water column, as they rarely sift the substrate.

• Males: Highly vibrant with alternating blue and orange-red diagonal bars, or solid line-bred variations (such as Powder Blue or Flame Red). Their dorsal fins finish in a distinct point.
• Females: Considerably more subdued, displaying a plain, silvery-grey body with a rounded dorsal fin.

• Suitable: Peaceful schooling fish like Neon Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras, Glowlight Danio, and bottom dwellers like Otocinclus or small Corydoras catfish.
• Avoid: Fin-nippers (e.g., Tiger Barbs) that target the gourami’s long, touch-sensitive, thread-like pelvic fins. Avoid mixing multiple males unless the tank is exceptionally large, as dominant males will relentlessly bully weaker rivals. Do not house them with aggressive species like Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta splendens).

1. Conditioning: Separate the male and female, feeding heavily with live foods like bloodworms.
2. The Nest: The male constructs an intricate, floating nest made of saliva-coated air bubbles, incorporating bits of floating plant matter.
3. Spawning: The male coaxes the female under the nest, wrapping his body around hers to fertilise the eggs as they float upward into the bubbles.
4. Post-Spawning Care: Remove the female immediately after spawning, as the male becomes highly aggressive while guarding the nest.
5. Rearing Fry: Eggs hatch within 24 to 36 hours. Once the fry are free-swimming, remove the male. Feed the microscopic fry infusoria or liquid fry food for the first week, transitioning to freshly hatched brine shrimp nauplii later.

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