The Honey Gourami, Trichogaster chuna, was first described by Hamilton and Buchanan in 1822 where they actually mistook males and females for two different species. Males were known as Trichopodus chuna and females as Trichopodus sota.
Now they all sit under the name Trichogaster.
Trichogaster comes from the Ancient Greek, ‘thriks’ meaning ‘hair’, and ‘gaster’ meaning ‘stomach’, which describes their long narrow ventral fins.
The fish available for the aquarium trade are all commercially produced. It is very unlikely to find a wild specimen in your tanks.
In recent years there have been a number of selectively-bred ornamental strains to improve the coloration between Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia) and Honey Gourami. These two species have often been confused as they look similar.
This species is ideal for inexperienced aquarists due to their peaceful nature and hardiness.
Even though, they are classified as a benthopelagic fish (meaning that they will swim from the sediment to the surface) it prefers the middle and the surface areas of the tank. They are a timid and shy specimen, and may take a while to get comfortable in your tank. Only once they are relax will the male start to show its typical coloring.
Whilst they are not outgoing, they do enjoy some company of their own kind (4 to 6 individuals).
It is likely that some kind of hierarchy will be establish within a group, with the dominant individual chasing away the other fish during meal time and males becoming aggressive towards females.
| Category | Rating |
| Care Level: | Beginner |
| Temperament: | Peaceful |
| Color: | Silvery gray for females; honey-orange and black for males |
| Lifespan: | 4-8 years |
| Size: | 3 inches |
| Diet: | Omnivore |
| Family: | Osphronemidae |
| Minimum Tank Size: | 10 gallons |
| Tank Setup: | Lots of vegetation and hiding spaces with very low current |
| Compatibility: | Same species or other peaceful small fish |
