Sparkling Gourami Complete Guide: Care, Diet, and Breeding

Sparkling Gourami makes a great pet for freshwater aquariums with its exquisite gold body, green and blue fins, and iridescent red flecks. Though beautiful and peaceful, these gouramis are small.

Sparkling Gourami is a type of gourami fish and can grow up to three inches long. The sparkling gouramis body is mostly gold with turquoise fins and red markings.

There are also sparkles on its body that makes it look like it has been sprinkled with glitter, hence the name “sparkling gourami”. The male sparkling gouramis colors are more vibrant than the females.

The sparkling gouramis body color is very similar to the base color of an ember tetra. However, the red markings on its body make it different from other types of tetras

Sparkling Gourami needs a large tank of at least 30 gallons or larger because they are gregarious fish and need a great deal of room in the aquarium. They should be kept in groups of at least 6 or more but can be kept with other types of fish too.

When choosing their tank mates, watch for aggressive species that may bother your sparkling gouramis like silver hatchet fish or tiger barbs. Make sure your tank has a lot of hiding places for the sparkling gourami like caves, plants, and rocks. They love swimming around with other small fish, but cannot be kept with larger species as they will definitely get eaten by them.

What do sparkling gouramis eat?

Sparkling Gourami is an omnivorous fish, which means they eat both plant and animal-based foods. They enjoy a wide variety of food including live foods, freeze-dried blood worms, flake foods, and pellet foods.

They also love snails (especially apple snails) that can be bought at pet stores to snack on.

Sparkling Gourami needs a varied diet to stay healthy and fit. They should be fed at least 3 times a day, every day.

How long do they live for?

Sparkling Gourami can live up to 10 years if cared for properly. They are hardy fish that can survive in most freshwater aquarium conditions.

What is the average tank size that a sparkling gourami need to thrive in?

Sparkling Gourami does best in a 30 gallon or larger tank. A small goldfish bowl is definitely not an appropriate home for sparkling gourami, as they will nibble at the smaller fish and eat them if given the chance. They need open space to swim around freely and be social with other fish of their own species, but they are peaceful fish and can be kept with a variety of fish species.

If you plan on adding this type of gourami to your freshwater aquarium, make sure it has some rocks or plants available for them to hide in as well so other fish don’t bother them by picking at their fins or nipping at their tails.

Sparkling gouramis are peaceful fish and get along well with other gourami species. They can also be kept in groups of their own kind or with small, peaceful species like tetras, barbs, and danios.

Do they school, should I get them with any other specific type of fish?

Sparkling Gourami is a schooling fish, so it is best to get them in groups of at least 6 or more. In the wild, they swim and tend to live with other gourami species as well as tetras and barbs. These are some of the many suitable tank mates for your sparkling gouramis if you choose to set up a community tank.

However, you want to make sure that your sparkling gouramis are not nipped at or bitten by other fish species in the aquarium as they have tender skin and fins.

They should also be kept in groups of their own kind or with small fish that will leave them alone, like tetras and barbs.

Sparkling Gouramis are social fish that do much better when kept in groups of their own kind. They need open space to swim around, so a small tank is not an appropriate home for these sparkling gouramis.

Plus, they will nibble at smaller fish in the aquarium if given the chance. If you can, get at least 6 or more sparkling gouramis of the same sex for a happy and healthy tank.

Can you keep sparkling gourami with shrimp?

No, Sparkling Gourami can’t live with shrimp, and they can eat your freshwater shrimp. They are omnivorous fish that will eat just about any meaty food they can find in the aquarium.

Can sparkling gourami live with a betta?

Bettas are beautiful and peaceful fish, but they really can’t live with sparkling gouramis if you want a peaceful communal tank. They have very different personalities from each other and will compete for food, space, territory, and even the heater in your aquarium.

Can sparkling gourami live alone?

Sparkling Gourami can absolutely live alone, but they are social fish that do much better in groups of their own kind. If you choose to set up a community tank for your sparkling gouramis, remember that they should be kept in schools with other individuals or other medium-sized species like tetras and barbs.

Will sparkling gourami eat snails?

They will eat your snails if they’re hungry or you don’t feed them first. They love to scavenge for food and eat up almost any meaty foods that sink down to the bottom of the aquarium, even if it’s a dead snail.

Are sparkling gouramis aggressive fish?

Sparkling Gourami is a peaceful fish that tends to stay away from other species of fish. They have to compete with many types of fish in the wild, and they get chased off by their own kind too if they don’t eat first or try to steal food.

If you want your sparkling gouramis to live happily together with other fish, be sure to give them an aquarium with lots of plants and rocks for cover.

The sparkling gourami’s delicate appearance can make it seem like a shy or gentle fish, but in reality, they are very social and active swimmers that need open space to swim around freely without fear of being outcompeted by others species of fish.

Sparkling gourami water parameters

In order for your sparkling gourami to stay healthy and happy, it is very important that you keep the water in your tank clean at all times. Aquarium pH should be kept between 6.0 – 7.0 with a temperature of 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit (22-28 degrees Celsius) ideal for sparkling gourami fish.

Sparkling gourami breeding

Sparkling Gouramis can breed in any season, but the best chance at breeding is during the summer months when the water temperature is between 74 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit (23-26 degrees Celsius).

The male sparkling gourami will build a bubble nest up to 2 inches from the top of the aquarium. The female will lay eggs on the bubble nest, and the male will fertilize them for her.

As soon as the female is finished laying her eggs, both parents will begin to protect their brood with extreme prejudice towards anything that comes too close.

Within about a week or so, the eggs will hatch into fry that looks just like miniature sparkling gouramis.

Can sparkling gourami live with guppies?

Guppies are great fish that make awesome pets for freshwater aquariums, but they can live only with smaller sparkling gouramis. This is because guppies are easy targets for the larger sparkling gourami, and their small size will give your rainbow fish an easy meal.

Will sparkling gourami eat hydra?

Yes, and your sparkling gourami will eat hydra that are at the foot of your tank. Hydra is a tiny creature that looks like a jellyfish and eats algae in aquariums. When you see one, be careful because they multiply quickly due to their segmentation.

In Conclusion

Sparkling gourami are incredibly beautiful fish that make a great addition to almost any community tank, but they need open space and stimulation in order to be happy. They are peaceful swimmers who won’t bother other species of fish if you provide them with room to swim freely.

Sparkling gouramis belong to the family of Anabantidae and are native to India, Thailand, Indonesia (Java), Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Sparkling gourami fish can be kept in small groups or alone. Be sure that there is enough open swimming space for them to move around without having a swim-in with other species of fish. These fish are great community fish that will eat most food and algae in your tank.

Sparkling gouramis are usually 2 to 3 inches long and reach up to 5 inches with a lifespan of 4 or 5 years with good care.

Sparkling gourami is also known as the “Jewel Fish” or “Royal Gourami.”

Sparkling Gourami is a peaceful fish that tends to stay away from other species of fish. They have to compete with many types of fish in the wild, and they get chased off by their own kind too if they don’t eat first or try to steal food. If you want your sparkling Gouramis to live happily together with other fish, be sure to give them an aquarium with lots of plants and rocks for cover.