Red Robin Honey Gourami

Red Honey Gourami

Trichogaster chuna, known as the Red Honey Gourami, or Red Robin Gourami is typically found in rivers and lakes in its native range of India and Bangladesh. It inhabits areas of thick vegetation in soft and poorly mineralised waters. This fish prefers the top and middle levels of the water, and is considered a good fish for beginners.

The honey gourami is generally considered to be a non-aggressive community fish, ideal for smaller aquaria (50 litres and up). However like other gouramis, male honey gouramis can be semi-aggressive towards each other. For this reason they are best kept apart, or in a larger tank with enough space and habitat for the males to establish territories.

A community tank that includes Red Robin Gourami should be planted and decorated to provide adequate cover. Providing cover is necessary as this species, like the similarly sized dwarf gourami, can be rather timid, and aggressive tankmates are best avoided. Good tankmates include non-fin nipping tetras, non-fin nipping barbs, corydoras, platys and other gouramis.

Do Honey Gourami's need to be kept in pairs?
Honey Gouramis are very easy-going fish which can be kept single, as a pair or in a group. They are not a schooling species however they enjoy each other's company and will display better in groups of 2-6 individuals. Generally, a formed pair will swim together.

What fish can live with Honey Gourami?
Ideal tank mates for honey gourami include: corys, neon or ember tetra, sparkling gourami, guppies, small barbs, mollies and danios. Check water parameters before housing with angelfish.

Features
Approx. supplied size: 1-2" / 3-5cm
Maximum size: 2.5" / 5-6cm
Origin: India and Bangladesh
Family: Osphronemidae
Temperament: Peaceful
Lighting requirement: moderate
Ideal number kept together: 2+

Water conditions
Our conditions: pH 7.5, temp 25 °C
Ideal pH: 6.0–7.5
Water flow: low to moderate
Temperature: 22–28 °C

Ease of care
Easy. They require plants and adequate cover to thrive.

Feeding
Feed a mixture of flake and smaller pellet or granulated dry food. Frozen brine shrimp and bloodworm to supplement.

Breeding
The honey gourami is a bubble nest builder that uses plants to help bind together the bubbles. It is always advised to keep your Gouramis in a separate tank to facilitate breeding. Make sure that the tank is covered. When ready to spawn, you will find the male building a small bubble nest in one end of your tank. It displays its colour, often a darker underbelly, to grab the attention of its partner. After the female approaches the male, it marks the start of the spawning process, which sees the male wrapping itself around the female. As they roll over each other, the eggs are expelled and fertilized at the same time. Since the eggs slowly sink to the bottom of the tank, the male gathers them to put them into the nest. Not commonly bred in household aquaria.

Life Span
They can live 5-8 years in perfect conditions.
Photo is for illustration only - one supplied.

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