All fish / Osphronemidae

Three spot gourami

Trichopodus trichopterus

Also known as three spot gourami, blue gourami, opaline gourami, gold gourami, cosby gourami, platinum gourami, trichogaster trichopterus, trichopodus cantoris, 3 spot gourami, ปลากระดี่หม้อ, sepat ronggeng, ikan sepat

A sturdy labyrinth fish with a laterally compressed body, long thread-like pelvic feelers and two dark spots on each side, the eye counting as the third. Wild fish are bluish silver, while the trade offers blue, opaline, gold and platinum strains. It is kept for its hardiness, tolerance of varied water and curious personality.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 8

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Singly, as a pair or one male with several females

Diet

Omnivore: flakes, pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, vegetable matter

Swims

Top of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, Malay Peninsula and Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo, Java)

Breeding

The male builds a bubble nest at the surface, spawns with the female beneath it and guards the eggs and fry. Breeding is easy in a quiet, warm tank with floating plants, but the female should be removed after spawning and the tiny fry need infusoria at first.

Good to know

Trichopodus cantoris is a disputed name: some authorities treat it as a synonym of the three spot gourami, and one nomenclatural study links it to the snakeskin gourami, so check what the seller actually means. Males can bully each other and timid or long-finned tankmates.