Moonlight Gourami

First described by Guenther in 1861, the Moonlight Gourami is Trichogaster microlepis, found in Thailand and Cambodia. One of the hardiest fish available to modern aquarists, the Moonlight Gourami has a basic silvery body with little to no other markings. The fins will have a pearl pattern of lighter silver. Growing to about 6 inches in length, males have very sharply pointed dorsal fins, while the females have a fan shaped dorsal fin. It is best to keep this species as a pair, or harem style, one male with several females. The Moonlight Gourami will prefer an aquarium with some cover, live plants, fake plants or driftwood, where it may spend most of its time hovering in one place. They will eat most prepared foods, be sure to include a vegetable based food in its diet. As can all labyrinth fish, Gouramis can go to the surface and breathe directly from the atmosphere, though this is rarely required in a home aquarium. The mode of reproduction is via bubble nest building. The spawning pair should be isolated in a shallow tank with loose plant material. Once the spawning is complete, the female should be removed, as the male will become belligerent. The fry will hatch out in 3-5 days and require freshly hatched brine shrimp or micro-worms or even a boiled egg yolk mashed through a fine cloth. At this point the male should be removed from the breeding tank and the water changed daily for the first 2 weeks or so. It is best to keep a glass top on the breeding tank to keep the atmosphere above the water as humid as possible. This is important to help the fry when they approach the surface to gulp in some air to fill their swim bladder.

Approximate arrival size for Moonlight Gourami: 1.5 to 3 inches

Detailed Information about this animal.