Moonlight Gourami (Trichopodus microlepis) Care Guide
A large, peaceful gourami with a beautiful silver-green iridescence that glows under aquarium lighting, reminiscent of moonlight. Males have orange-red pelvic fins.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Trichopodus microlepis is a species in the family Osphronemidae. A large, peaceful gourami with a beautiful silver-green iridescence that glows under aquarium lighting, reminiscent of moonlight. Males have orange-red pelvic fins. One of the more calm and gentle gourami species, ideal for large planted community tanks.
Taxonomy
- Family: Osphronemidae
- Genus: Trichopodus
- Scientific name: Trichopodus microlepis
- Origin: Southeast Asia, Thailand, Cambodia
Habitat
Native to the Mekong basin and Chao Phraya basin of Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Inhabits slow-moving and standing lowland waters with dense vegetation. Distinguished by silvery body and long, thread-like pelvic fins; a bubble-nesting labyrinth fish.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 150 L
- Temperature: 25-30 °C
- pH: 6-7.5
- GH: 2-15 °dGH
- Water flow: low
- Adult size: 10-15 cm
- Lifespan: 4-6 years
- Difficulty: beginner
Diet
Classified as omnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: peaceful
- Swimming level: top
- Compatible tank mates: Corydoras, Large Tetras, Angelfish, Bristlenose Pleco
- Avoid with: Aggressive Fish, Small Nano Fish
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: bubble-nester
- Breeding difficulty: intermediate
Moonlight Gourami (Trichopodus microlepis) Breeding Guide
Overview
Trichopodus microlepis occurs in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and reaches about 15 cm. It is a labyrinth bubble nester kept at 25-30 °C and pH 6.0-7.5. Breeding is described as not easy.
Sexing
The male has orange or red pelvic fins, while the female's are yellow.
Conditioning
Feed the prospective pair live food abundantly to bring them into spawning condition before introducing them to the breeding tank.
Breeding Setup
Provide the pair with their own densely planted tank that includes floating plants, reduce the water level to roughly 15-20 cm and slowly raise the temperature to about 29-30 °C. The male constructs a loose bubble nest among the surface vegetation.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The pair position themselves under the nest and adopt the typical anabantoid spawning embrace. Spawning may last up to two hours, and up to 2000 eggs may be released.
Egg & Fry Care
Remove the female after spawning. The eggs hatch in 1-2 days and the fry become free-swimming about two days after hatching, at which point the male can be removed. Offer infusoria three to four times daily for the first two weeks, then newly hatched brine shrimp and powdered flake food.
Common Challenges
The fry are very sensitive to changes in water chemistry, so no water changes are recommended until they reach around 1 cm in length. Maintaining a stable, warm environment and the surface air layer required by a labyrinth species is therefore critical.