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How Big Do Dwarf Gouramis Get? Size & Care Facts

Lindsey Stanton Profile Picture

By Lindsey Stanton

dwarf gourami close up

Dwarf gouramis are small, easy to take care of, and they look really neat, too. Before you go out and buy one, you should probably know a few things about these neat little fish. The question of the day is this: How big do dwarf gouramis get? Let’s get right into it and cover what you need to know.

The short answer is Dwarf Fouramis generally grow to a maximum of 2 inches long. Although they are smaller fish, you should look at housing them in at least a 10-gallon tank assuming you will be housing multiple fish. Keep reading to find out the ideal requirements and how to make them grow big and healthy.

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The Gourami

Dwarf gourami, rainbow variety, in aquarium, against brown driftwood, with green plants
Image Credit: Corneliu LEU, Shutterstock

The Gourami’s scientific name is Trichogaster lalius. This fish is native to countries such as India and Bangladesh. This is a tropical freshwater fish, a very small one.

Dwarf gouramis come in various color combinations, but they are all very bright, multicolored, and they look simply stunning.

Dwarf gouramis are very peaceful by nature. They are not really fast swimmers, they are not aggressive or competitive, and they make for good community tank fish.

How Big Are Dwarf Gouramis?

As you can probably tell by the name, dwarf gouramis are fairly small. They are one of the smaller types of gourami fish out there.

Anyway, under the right circumstances, these little guys will grow to a maximum length of 2 inches. They are pretty round in shape, almost like a little oval serving dish, a very colorful one at that. Male dwarf gouramis are known to get a little bigger than their female counterparts.

Pearl gourami_shutterstock_NERYXCOM
Image Credit: NERYXCOM, Shutterstock

How to Get A Dwarf Gourami To Grow Big And Healthy

There are some things that you can do to make sure that your dwarf gourami grows as big and healthy as can be. Follow these tips below.

Tank Size

You should have a tank of no less than 10 gallons per dwarf gourami. Fish are known to grow to the size of their surroundings, so the larger the tank is the bigger your dwarf gourami will grow.

Feeding / Diet

Make sure to feed a dwarf gourami a good varied diet of natural foods. They like to eat algae, plant matter, and insects, too. Some good freeze-dried or even live foods, combined with high-quality flake food, are a good way to ensure that your dwarf gourami will grow big and healthy.

Water Quality

Make sure that the water quality is high and do lots of water changes. Also, ensure that you have a good filter to filter out debris and contaminants. Clean water leads to healthy fish, and healthy fish grow big. Make sure that the water is around 75 degrees, has a hardness level of around 6 or 7, and a pH level of around 6.75.

Blue-Dwarf-Gouramis_Obble_shutterstock
Image Credit: Obble, Shutterstock

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Conclusion

The bottom line is that dwarf gouramis will never grow very big, only to around 2 inches in length, but this is exactly why many people like them. They are good beginner fish that do not require too much space and are fairly easy to care for, too.


Featured image credit: Steve Bower, Shutterstock

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