Croaking Gourami

Trichopsis pumila, the sparkling or croaking gourami, is a tiny labyrinth fish from Southeast Asia that is best known for its ability to produce audible croaking and clicking sounds by vibrating its pectoral fins. This behaviour is most pronounced during courtship and territorial displays between males. Despite being only 4 cm at full size, it has considerable personality.

The species inhabits densely vegetated, slow-moving waters including rice paddies, ditches, and forest streams. In the aquarium, it thrives in a well-planted nano setup with gentle filtration. It is peaceful enough to be kept with other similarly sized nano fish. The floating plants and slow flow replicate its natural habitat and encourage natural behaviour.

Males build bubble nests and there is a brief parental care phase. The fry are tiny and require infusoria initially before accepting micro nauplii. Due to their small size and calm temperament, T. pumila is an ideal candidate for planted nano tanks alongside micro rasboras and small corydoras.

Water: 22–28°C, pH 6.0–7.5, soft to medium (GH 2–12) — adaptable but prefers slightly acidic conditions. Tank: 20–30 L nano with dense planting, gentle filtration, floating plants, and tight lid. Feeding: micro live and frozen foods; micro pellets and crushed flake also accepted. Breeding: male builds bubble nest; provides paternal care; fry need infusoria as first food. Compatibility: very peaceful; ideal with small nano tetras, micro rasboras, and dwarf corydoras.