Chocolate gourami Care Guide

The Chocolate Gourami is a moderately hardy yet charming fish that requires attentive care and a well-maintained environment. With a challenging care level and high maintenance needs, they are best suited for aquarists with some experience.

Care Process

The Chocolate Gourami thrives in an environment with stable water parameters. The water should have a pH range between 5.5 and 7.5 and a temperature range from 25°C to 29°C. Regular water testing is crucial to ensure these conditions remain constant. As social creatures, they are best kept in groups with a minimum school size of six individuals to promote social behavior and reduce stress.

Feeding

Chocolate Gouramis have a diversified diet that includes a variety of food types. Providing a balanced diet with flakes, pellets, and live or frozen options such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, tubifex worms, daphnia, and micro worms is essential. Supplement their diet with vegetable matter, algae wafers, color-enhancing food, and freeze-dried foods. Additionally, you can use stick-on tablets and feeder fish as occasional treats to encourage natural foraging behavior.

Tank Setup

The Chocolate Gourami is a versatile inhabitant occupying all tank levels, from surface to bottom dweller. An aquarium with at least 50 liters of water per fish is recommended. Providing plenty of hiding places with live plants, driftwood, and rocks mimics their natural habitat and reduces stress. Since they tend to be shy and have a moderate level of territorial behavior, a well-planted tank can help them feel secure.

Ensure the tank has a gentle filtration system to maintain clean water without creating strong currents. Since Chocolate Gouramis are mostly peaceful, they can coexist with similarly tempered species, but avoid housing them with highly aggressive or territorial fish.

Breeding and Behavior

The breeding process may involve a slight increase in aggression, so monitoring interactions during breeding periods is essential. Adjust the tank dynamics if necessary to reduce stress. As captivating creatures, Chocolate Gouramis are uncommon and possess a very rare rarity status, contributing to their unique appeal among fish enthusiasts.