Three spot gourami are beautiful fish that can be found in many aquariums. These fish are native to Southeast Asia, so it’s important to know their natural habitat if you want to provide them with the best possible care. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at where three spot gourami lives and what you can do to replicate their natural environment in your own tank.
At Home in the Wild
If you go to any of the rivers, streams, or lakes near Southeast Asia, you’ll have no trouble finding three spot gourami. They love shallow waters with lots of vegetation and are found most often at the edges of water sources.
Their natural habitat is largely tropical, which means they need warm water between 76 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. In your aquarium, you’ll need to provide a heater to keep the water at this temperature.
Three Spot Gourami is a Carnivore
Three spot gourami are carnivores in their natural habitat. They feed on zooplankton and insects, so they should be provided with a balanced diet that includes lots of invertebrates. You can purchase many good food options at your local pet store, but be careful not to overfeed your fish.
Three Spot Gourami is a Labyrinth Fish
If you’ve never heard of this term before, it’s because the three spot gourami isn’t always called by that name in all regions of the world. In many places, this fish is known as a labyrinth fish because it has a special organ that allows it to breathe oxygen directly from the air.
This organ, called a labyrinth organ, is an adaptation that helps three spots gourami survive in shallow waters where there isn’t always enough oxygen for them to breathe through their gills alone.
This ability to breathe air separates three spot gourami from most other fish, who must always rely on their gills for oxygen. If you want to keep a labyrinth fish in an aquarium, it’s important to purchase one with enough surface area at the top so your tank doesn’t become too “fishy.”
Other Names for Three Spot Gourami
Three spot gourami are often sold under other names as well. In some areas of the world, they’re known as Sahul Malaya or simply three spot, though many people also refer to them by their scientific name ” Trichogaster trichopterus .”
In nature, you’ll find three spot gourami living in smaller groups or schools. If you want to replicate this environment, try keeping your fish in a school of six or more individuals. Three spot gourami have been known to breed as a pair and will appreciate having a mate during the breeding season.
How to Set up the Tank
Three spot gourami are relatively easy fish to care for, but they do need regular maintenance. Before you bring home your new pet, make sure you have all of the supplies you’ll need before it arrives.
The tank itself should be at least 10 gallons, though 20 is better if you want to keep a school. You’ll need to purchase gravel, a filter and some decorations for the tank as well.
When it comes time to choose your fish, make sure you’re buying from a reputable dealer who can guarantee their health. Three spot gourami are known carriers of infectious bacteria and parasites, so you want to avoid bringing these into your tank.
Many fish experts recommend quarantining any new fish you bring into your tank for a period of two weeks so you can keep an eye on them before they integrate with the other fish in your aquarium.
This is especially important if they’ve been shipped to you from another location where they could have contracted diseases from fellow three spot gourami in the tank.
Once you’ve added your three spot gourami to the tank, be sure to monitor the temperature and pH of the water. If there is a problem with either of these levels, you’ll need to adjust your filtration system accordingly.
Breeding Season for Three Spot Gourami
Three spot gourami are known to breed during the warm months of spring and summer. As they begin to mature, you’ll be able to tell the difference between male and female three spot gourami by looking at their dorsal fins.
Females have rounded dorsal fins that are shorter than those of males, though these openings may not always be visible in females who are still young.
If you want to breed your own three spot gourami, you need to make sure the water in your tank is at 78 degrees Fahrenheit and that your tank has a lot of surface area for them to construct their bubble nests.
They will construct these bubbles out of air bubbles they’ve collected from the surface of the water, which you’ll see hanging from the top of your tank.
Once they’ve completed their nests, the female will lay her eggs inside them and the male will wrap himself around both of them until they hatch.
Feeding Three Spot Gourami
In nature, three spot gourami feed on insects and larvae that live in still water. They use their large, disc-shaped mouths to suck up their food and eat it quickly before any other fish in the area can steal it.
In an aquarium setting, you’ll need to feed your three spot gourami a diet that includes both plant and animal matter. Three spot gourami should be fed live foods such as brine shrimp and bloodworms as well as a commercial flake food for omnivores.
The diet you feed your three spot gourami should include a variety of nutrients to ensure their health, including proteins, beta-carotene, and vitamin E. Feed them two or three times per day in small quantities that they can finish within five minutes.
In nature, three spot gourami are found in large schools around shallow ponds and slow-moving streams. They eat a variety of insects and plant matter that they stumble upon as they move through the water. Three spot gourami will breed during the spring and summer months once they have attained sexual maturity.
As with other fish, three spot gourami should be quarantined for some time before they are introduced into the main tank with other fish. These precautions will ensure that they do not contract any diseases or parasites that could affect the other members of your aquarium.
In nature, three spot gourami eat plant and animal matter as well as insects and larvae that dwell in still waters. In an aquarium setting, you’ll need to feed your three spot gourami a diet that includes both plant and animal matter.
As with other fish, three spot gourami should be quarantined for a period of time before they are introduced into the main tank with other fish. These precautions will ensure that they do not contract any diseases or parasites that could affect the other members of your aquarium.
