Dwarf Gourami Aquarium Fish Profile

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For June 2014 the fish of the month is Colisa lalia, more commonly known as the dwarf gourami. Hailing from the freshwater lakes and slow moving streams of southern Asia the dwarf gourami makes for a stunning addition to almost any home aquarium.
In the wild, this gourami experiences soft acidic water, likewise it will prefer similar conditions in the aquarium, but can tolerate a fair range of water parameters. Generally, Temperatures between 72 and 82 F, pH between 6 and 7.5 and a total water hardness in the range of 3 to 12 will suit this fish best.
Males are brightly colored, displaying vibrant orange and turquoise patterns though out there body. Females are slightly smaller in size and will be pale in color, mostly grey with a few yellow accents. There are a few other color variants all of which are just as impressive. Both male and female have the trademark ventral pelvic fins that serve as a method for navigating detecting various objects in the muddy water they are accustomed to in the wild.
Growing to a max size of about 2 inches this fish is perfect for small medium and large size tanks, although we wouldn't recommend keeping them in anything smaller than a 10-15 gallon. gourami's like to have places to hide out from time to time and benefit greatly from having a high density of live plants, especially floating vegetation.
The dwarf gourami is an omnivore and will eat small insects, larvae and clumps of algae when in there natural habitat. In the aquarium, they'll feast on all types of food including standard flake, veggie tablets and the occasional live worm or two.
This gourami are considered Labyrinth Fish because they possess a unique internal structure called a Labyrinth organ This specialized organ is capable of utilizing oxygen directly from the atmosphere in comparison to the gills which can only use dissolved oxygen found in the water. This added feature of the gourami gives it the advantage of surviving in oxygen depleted waters and is why they are commonly seen at the top of the aquarium catching a breath.
When gourami's are spawning, they will begin to build a bubble nest out of their saliva and plant material. This is another fairly unique feature of the gourami family and is pretty cool to watch
Overall, the dwarf gourami is a relatively peaceful community fish that doesn't require much work to keep and will make a great addition to your freshwater tank.