How to take care of a honey gourami?
Honey gourami care is really quite easy. These fish are extremely hardy and can handle a variety of tank and water conditions. With that being said, you should always aim to provide your fish with the best possible care and habitat. Even though they might be hardy it doesn’t mean they’re bulletproof!
Where do honey gouramis live?
Honey gouramis live at low altitudes in tropical rivers, ponds, ditches, lakes, and flooded fields. The habitat here is thick with vegetation, and the water is generally slow-moving, although seasonal flooding does occur during the monsoon season. Taking Aim!
What kind of fish is a honey gourami?
Honey Gourami, scientifically identified as Trichogaster chuna, is part of the Osphronemidae family from order Anabantiformes. They are tropical fish known for their deferential behavior, colorful body, and labyrinth organ. This organ helps them breathe dry air and survive in areas where the water is low oxygenated.
Are honey gourami hard to keep?
Keeping Honey Gouramis Together Honey gouramis are very easy-going fish that can be kept as a single, pair or a group. They are not a schooling species however they enjoy each other's company and will display better in groups of 4-6 individuals.
Are gouramis Hardy?
In terms of water conditions, the dwarf gourami is a fairly hardy species. In the wild, these fish prefer sluggish bodies of water (like ponds, swamps, and ditches) with heavy vegetation. In the home aquarium, dwarf gouramis prefer low water flow and heavy planting.
What temperature do honey gouramis like?
The ideal water temperature for Honey Gourami is Between 71 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit (22 to 28 degrees Centigrade). The Honey Gourami is a very hardy fish. It can endure a wide range of conditions. The Honey Gourami can withstand slight changes to the water parameters even if they do not suit it.
Do honey gouramis need a heater?
As mentioned before, honey gouramis are used to living in a wide range of conditions, such as pH of 6.0–8.0, temperatures between 74–82°F (23–28°C), and soft to hard water hardness (or GH). A single honey gourami can live in a 5- or 10-gallon tank, but a group of three gouramis would do better in a 20-gallon aquarium.
How many honey Gouramis Can I put in a 30 gallon tank?
The recommended tank size for the honey gouramis is 10 gallons for one fish. If you want to add more of the same species then you'll need to increase the tank size a bit. The formula to follow is 10 gallons for one fish, 20 for two, and then 5 extra gallons for each fish after that.
How many gouramis Can I put in a 10 gallon tank?
You can keep three Dwarf Gouramis in a 10-gallon tank, or just one with a school of other peaceful fish, such as five Neon Tetras.
Can 2 honey gouramis live together?
How Many Honey Gouramis Should Be Kept Together? Honey Gouramis are low-maintenance fish that can be kept as a single, pair, or group. They are not a schooling species, but they enjoy being with each other and often put on a better show in groups of 4 to 6 fish. A formed pair will usually swim together.
Do honey gourami eat snails?
Many fish keepers attest that gouramis will eat snails in a tropical fish tank.
What do you feed a honey gourami?
What is this? Tropical fish flake foods or pellets are a good base food, but every now and then you can supplement with fresh vegetables, freeze-dried blood worms, algae and occasionally some live food.
Do honey gouramis spit water?
Many new fish hobbyists are surprised when they walk up to their aquarium and their gourami spits a jet of water in the air. Because of the gourami's ability to gulp air, they can take in water and blow it out above the water line. Gouramis often spit water to knock insects out of the air, snatching them up for food.
Can honey gourami live with angelfish?
Angelfish and Gouramis can live together and usually get along quite nicely. They have similar tank requirements and diets.
Can honey gouramis live with guppies?
Guppies are peaceful-natured fish species who can be housed with less aggressive species of Gourami. Honey Gouramis, specifically, can be housed together with guppies. A tank can be set up to accommodate both fish species as their habitats are relatively similar.
How many gouramis should be kept together?
Four or more gouramis should be kept together. Gouramis thrive best when kept in groups, and four is the smallest appropriate group size. If you don't have the space for four gouramis or more, try keeping them in pairs to prevent stress and boredom. You should be careful not to overcrowd the tank.
What is the life expectancy of a gourami?
But generally, a Gourami fish's lifespan in captivity should be between three to four years. What is this? When they're in the wild, Gouramis tend to live longer, usually anywhere from five to seven years. That's the case for Kissing Gourami fish..
What is the lifespan of a gourami?
Siamese fighting fish: 2 – 5 yearsGourami / LifespanThe Siamese fighting fish, commonly known as the betta, is a freshwater fish native to Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Wikipedia
Do gouramis need to be in pairs?
Since dwarf gouramis are social fish, they should be kept in pairs or small schools. They're naturally shy, so if they're kept alone they're likely to become timid and spend their days hiding away.
What color are honey gouramis?
The entire body of adult males is primarily a light orangeish yellow. The exceptions to this are on their throats and fins.
How do honey gouramis get around this problem?
Honey gouramis get around this problem by having a labyrinth organ. This works much like a lung and means they have to visit the surface to get their oxygen. This allows them to survive in poorly oxygenated waters where many other fish could not.
What is the best tankmate for a honey gourami?
The best honey gourami tank mates are non-aggressive fish of a similar size. There are a couple of reasons for this:
What are sunset gourami fins?
These fish are slim and streamlined with a slight upward tilt to their faces. The fins on the sunset gourami are right from the standard gourami mold. Their dorsal and anal fins start about one-third of the way back from their mouths and extend to the caudal peduncle.
How long do honey gourami live?
Lifespan. The average honey gourami lifespan is 5-8 years. This can be impacted by the quality of care they receive as well as genetic factors. This range exists to illustrate how easily you can influence their lifespan. While these fish are extremely hardy and durable, it doesn’t mean they’re invincible.
How big of a tank do you need for a honey gourami?
The recommended tank size for the honey gouramis is 10 gallons for one fish. If you want to add more of the same species then you’ll need to increase the tank size a bit.
What is the name of the red gourami?
The honey gourami ( Trichogaster chuna) goes by a number of different common names. You’ll often hear these fish referred to as the sunset gourami, red flame gourami, or red honey gourami.
What is a honey gourami?
Honey gourami are a popular and delightful little tropical fish that add a bright splash of color to your aquarium. They’re hardy and fairly easy to care for, so they’re a great species for beginner aquarists.
Why is the honey gourami called honey?
Later, it was understood that both are the same, and the name Honey Gourami stuck because of the beautiful caramel-honey coloring.
What plants should I put in a honey gourami tank?
Some of the best plants to include in your honey gourami tank are hornwort and water wisteria.
How do honey gouramis catch their food?
The honey gourami has a unique way of catching its food in the wild. They position themselves carefully to watch for prey at the surface of the water, then when their prey (insects) come within range, they squirt water at them, knocking them down into the water. Then the fish eat the prey quickly.
How often should I change my honey gourami water?
Honey gourami, though hardy, need water that has only smaller water chemistry changes. They do need regular water changes of 25% weekly, with a solid, external filtration system in place.
What can enhance the color of honey gourami?
Food and environment features can enhance the color of Honey Gourami, so be sure to take especial care for those things!
What are some good mates for honey bees?
If you want some critters to help clean things up, snails make for excellent tank mates for honeys.
What is a honey gourami?
Honey Gouramis are a popular, peaceful, and colorful fish species known for their golden-red belly. They’re a great fish for novice aquarists who have just purchased their first freshwater aquarium.
How long does a Honey Gourami live?
Honey Gourami typically live between 5 and 7 years in captivity. This is greatly dependant on the care they receive and how closely their tank conditions mirror their ideal conditions.
How to make a gourami aquarium look natural?
If you want to make your aquarium look natural, we recommend adding live plants. You could choose different shapes and colors to give a varied, natural look. Plants are also great for creating natural hiding spots. Taller plants will give your gouramis places to hide near the top of the tank. If you have plants floating on the surface of the water, make sure to maintain some open areas so your gouramis have a place to breathe.
How many gallons of water do gouramis need?
At a minimum, Honey Gouramis need a 10-gallon tank. A 20-gallon tank is recommended if you are keeping a two. If you’re keeping more than two (which we recommend!), add 5 gallons for each additional fish. Therefore, if you’re keeping four gouramis, we recommend a 30-gallon tank. If you keep an aquarium over 20 gallons, we highly recommend looking into an aquarium stand to support the weight.
How to decorate a honey gourami tank?
When thinking about how to decorate your honey gourami tank, recreate their natural habitat as much as possible. Include live plants in your tank as they can help purify the water and provide hiding places. Driftwood is another great option, and it can be used to provide nooks and crannies for escaping boisterous or large fish. If your honey gourami feels secure, they’re more likely to let their personalities shine through versus hiding all of the time!
What is the scientific name for a honey gourami?
The honey gourami’s scientific name is Trichogaster chuna. However, you will also hear them referred to by many other names, including the sunset gourami, red flame gourami, or red honey gourami. One look at these fish and you will understand all of the nicknames.
What fish can you keep with honey gouramis?
Honey Gouramis are great community tank members and can be kept with other peaceful fish like tetras, danios, or oto catfish. They’re hardy fish who can add a bright pop of color to your tank and amuse you with their inquisitive behavior. As long as they have plenty of hiding spaces to keep their stress levels low, they’re likely to thrive in your tank.
How long does a dwarf gourami live?
Many of them are infected with Dwarf Gourami disease, which is always fatal. My dwarf gourami managed to survive six months after onset of symptoms, but that was only because I did daily water changes every day and dosed the poor thing with everything under the sun. I would never have exposed him to the ammonia in a cycling tank.
Is a dwarf gourami hardy?
Dwarf Gouramis normally are not hardy . They are very susceptible to infection and disease, and most of them actually actually already carry a disease when you buy them. Read up on Dwarf Gourami disease and peoples experiences of them to understand them a bit better. Wild Dwarf Gouramis tend to be hardier though and Honey Gouramis are great alternatives, but you will need to 'fishlessly' cycle your tank before adding any fish.
Does honey gourami affect dwarf gouramis?
It only affects dwarf gouramis and their color variates (sunset gouramis, powder blues, etc.). Honey gouramis are a different species and are not affected.
Species Summary
Appearance
- Color is the first and most obvious thing to mention when it comes to the appearance of honey gouramis. The entire body of adult males is primarily a light orangeish yellow. The exceptions to this are on their throats and fins. Their throat area is a blueish silver and disappears quite quickly once it reaches their head or belly. On their fins, the main portion is a lighter yellow with the rim…
Size
- The average honey gourami size is around 2 inches in length.Males and females are typically similar in size initially, but females often end up being a little bit larger when fully grown.
Honey Gourami Care
- Honey gourami care is really quite easy. These fish are extremely hardy and can handle a variety of tank and water conditions. With that being said, you should always aim to provide your fish with the best possible care and habitat. Even though they might be hardy it doesn’t mean they’re bulletproof! Author Note:We like to think of hardiness as mor...
Food & Diet
- Honey gouramis are omnivores and eat a lot of insects in their natural environment. Because of this, it’s important to include some protein-rich foods in their diet too. Algae-based flakes are a good consistent source of nutrients that many owners use. They’re convenient and will cover a lot of their baseline dietary requirements. Some freeze-dried options like bloodworms, tubifex, and …
Behavior & Temperament
- The honey gourami is a peaceful yet active community fish. They don’t want to start trouble with other species in your tank but will dart around and investigate what’s going on. However, these fish can be scaredy-cats. If another fish is getting in their face they’ll likely retreat to the nearest planted hiding spot. Larger fish will also spook them rather easily. For the most part, these fish …
Honey Gourami Tank Mates
- The best honey gourami tank mates are non-aggressive fish of a similar size. There are a couple of reasons for this: The first is that large fish might accidentally view your honey gourami as a snack. Even if they’re not aggressive, big fish tend to eat smaller ones. Aggression of any type is also not a good trait (no matter the size). Honey gouramis are very gentle and don’t want to fight…
Breeding
- Breeding honey gouramis is definitely possible in a home aquarium setting. You simply have to provide the right conditions and have an understanding of their process! It’s smart to use a breeding tank because you’ll need to remove the parents at various stages of the cycle. A 15-gallon tank is usually enough, but a larger tank is usable too. Setting the water temperature sligh…
Wrapping Up
- The honey gourami is without a doubt one of our favorite freshwater fish. There’s really nothing quite like watching a few of them swim around like small golden torpedoes! And for all their beauty, these fish are extremely low-maintenance. Honey gourami care can be handled by pretty much anyone, no matter how experienced you are. If you’re on the fence about getting these fis…