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Sparkling gourami, alternately known as pygmy gourami is a freshwater fish indigenous to the southeastern part of Asia. The sparkling effect produced on its body by the amalgamation of different colors gives this species of the gourami family its name. Its appealing appearance, and small size, make it one of the sought-after choices in the aquarium trade.
| Scientific Name | Trichopsis pumila |
| Other Names | Pygmy gourami, dwarf croaking gourami |
| Origin | Southeastern Asia, in parts of Cambodia and Thailand |
| Type | Freshwater fish |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern (by the IUCN) |
| Behavioral Characteristics | Quiet and peaceful, but possessive about their territories; male-male aggression often visible |
| School Size | Though not a schooling fish, they could thrive peacefully in groups of 3 – 4 (with 1:3 male-female ratio to avoid fighting); keeping them with aggressive tank mates could trigger territorial behavior |
| Physical Traits | Small, elongated, arrow-shaped body; big, bright eyes; thin, tall dorsal fins; large, well-merged anal fins; small shell-shaped caudal fins; and small pelvic fin with a thread-like outgrowth |
| Colors | Brown body with green, grey, and blue spots all over; blue eyes with a red rim; blue fins with black spots and deep red stripes mainly on the edges; |
| Size (How big do they get) | Small; 1.6 inches (4.06 cm) |
| Lifespan | 3 – 4 years |
| Sexual Dimorphism | Present; Males: Long and pointed fins with bolder and prominent red spots and stripes; Females: Shorter and less pointed fins with duller spots and stripes |
| Probable Diseases | Fin rot, ich, costiasis, cotton wool disease |
| Approximate Price (How much is it for) | $2 – 5 |
| Care Level | Beginner |
| Tank Size | 5 gallons (18.9 liters) for 2 – 3 fish; though a 10 – 15 gallon tank (37.8 -56.7 liters) would be spacious enough to accommodate the fish and the substrates |
Water Parameters
| pH Level | 6.0-7.0 |
| Temperature | 77 – 83 °F (25 – 28°C) |
| Hardness | 5 – 19 dGH |
| Aquarium Water Flow | Low |
Tank Ambience
| Lighting | Dim and subdued |
| Substrate Type | Live plants, rocks and driftwood for them to hide conveniently (dark substrate would contrast with their sparkling appearance) |
| Tank Mates | Compatible with: Non-aggressive fish like pearl gourami, neon tetra, dwarf gourami, honey gourami, neon rainbowfish, neon tetra, rummy nose tetra, guppy, rasbora species Incompatible with: Tiger barb; danios and betas; as well as shrimp species like amano, red cherry and ghost as the sparkling gourami is known to prey upon them |
| Suitable Position in the Tank | Bottom |
Feeding
| Diet | Live or frozen meaty diet of bloodworms, snail, daphnia, shrimp meat, and artemia, as well as pellets and flakes |
| Frequency | 2 times a day |
The sparkling gourami possesses the unique ability to emit a croaking sound through a certain pectoral mechanism when happy or during mating, that is audible to human ears. This ability of theirs has earned them the name dwarf croaking gourami.
Though the sparkling gourami is alternately called the dwarf croaking gourami due to its ability to croak as mentioned above, the croaking gourami is a different species altogether. It is larger than the sparkling gourami needing a bigger tank.
