All fish / Osphronemidae

Snakeskin Gourami

Trichopodus pectoralis

Also known as snakeskin gourami, snake skin gourami, snakeskin gouramy, sepat siam, siamese gourami, trichogaster pectoralis, snakeskin, ปลาสลิด, スネークスキン・グラミー, 蛇皮丝足鲈, 蛇皮马甲, 蛇皮鱼

A large, laterally compressed gourami with an olive to silvery body, a dark broken stripe along the side and fine diagonal bars that give it a snakeskin look. It is hardy, calm and tolerant of a wide range of water conditions, which makes it a good centrepiece for a roomy community tank. In Southeast Asia it is also an important food fish, often sold dried.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

16 cm

Temperature

22 to 30 °C

pH

6 to 8

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly, in a pair or a small group

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and pellets, blanched vegetables, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Mekong and Chao Phraya basins (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam); introduced widely in Southeast Asia

Breeding

Males build a loose bubble nest at the surface among floating plants and guard the eggs and fry after spawning. It breeds readily in a large, quiet tank with warm, shallow water, and the tiny fry need infusoria at first.

Good to know

Reaches 16 to 20 cm, so it soon outgrows small tanks. Like other labyrinth fish it needs access to the surface to breathe air, so keep a tight lid with an air gap.