Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Thick-lipped gourami
No federal permit to keepThick-lipped gourami
Trichogaster labiosa
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Osphronemidae (Gouramis and bettas)
The thick-lipped gourami (Trichogaster labiosa) is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia, and is a popular aquarium fish.
Intro from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 3.5 in / 9 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–7.5.
- Hardness: 4–10 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 29 × 12 in (roughly 18 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–81 °F, pH 6–7.5, 5–15 dGH.
- Difficulty: Beginner (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Ideally, keep it in a well-planted tank with a dark substrate.”
- Tankmates: “One of the best gouramis to keep in a community tank, and is actually much more suitable than the popular dwarf gourami, C.”
- Breeding: “Like many Anabantoids, it's a bubble nest builder.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Gouramis and labyrinth fish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Warm, still, vegetated waters. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Planted, calm tanks with floating plants; they breathe air at the surface, so leave a gap under the lid.
Diet
- Food acceptance is species-specific. Parosphromenus deissneri needs tiny live invertebrate foods and commonly refuses dried foods; a pellet/flake staple cannot cover every labyrinth fish.
Health watch
- Males are territorial; dwarf gourami iridovirus.
Understanding the animal
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams, marshes and swamps. Uses both the bottom and open water. Found in rivers. Aquarium keeping: minimum aquarium size 100 cm. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–82 °F (22–28 °C), pH 6–7.5, hardness 4–10 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: nesters. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 97°F (up to 101°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 57°F (down to 46°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 69–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 73–75% on average (driest month about 55%) |
| Rainfall | about 1776 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 27 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The thick-lipped gourami (Trichogaster labiosa) is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia, and is a popular aquarium fish. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Like most other gouramis, the thick-lipped gourami builds a bubble nest into which the eggs are placed. The male guards the eggs but ignores the fry. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Appearance and size | Thick-lipped gouramis can reach a length of 9 cm TL. They are sexually dimorphic, with the female being silvery, but the male marked with oblique thin red and blue stripes along its flanks. The male also has pointed tips in its dorsal fin. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Obligate air-breathing; Found in rivers. Aquarium keeping: minimum aquarium size 100 cm. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 29 × 12 in (about 18 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Parosphromenus deissneri Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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