The Honey Gourami (Trichogaster chuna) is a popular aquarium fish with an appearance that makes the aquarium more attractive among the pet fish keepers. It has a distinct honey color pattern than other gouramis. They also have a large hump on their head. Their common name, “Honey Gourami“, refers to the coloration, which is complemented by silvery-white scales and dark eyes. This combination of colors can only be found in this type of fish and no others.
Systematic Position of Honey Gourami
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anabantiformes
Family: Anabantidae
Genus: Trichogaster
Species: Trichogaster chuna (F. Hamilton, 1822)
Synonyms of Honey Gourami
Trichopodus chuna F. Hamilton, 1822
Colisa chuna (F. Hamilton, 1822)
Trichopodus sota F. Hamilton, 1822
Colisa sota (F. Hamilton, 1822)
Polyacanthus sota (F. Hamilton, 1822)
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The Honey Gourami is a peaceful, schooling fish that is native to Myanmar and the surrounding region in Southeast Asia such as India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. In the wild, it is commonly found in freshwater rivers, ponds and other bodies of water having slow-moving waters as well as with other species including Barbs, Catfish, Zebra Danios, Gobies, Loaches, Plecostomus, Rainbowfish, Rasboras, and even Tetras.
The Honey Gourami is considered one of the most beautiful fish because of its gorgeous colors and small size with its beautiful and unique body patterns. The length of this species varies in the wild depending on where they live. They can grow to 4-5 inches long and many people are surprised by their lovely yellow coloring. It is known for its iridescent golden body that is yellowish-tan to golden-red. With its long flowing fins, this gourami looks spectacular adding floating color to a tank containing reds, blues, and yellows. The fins are also yellow or orange while the eyes are gold-colored.
This fish has two different color variations, one being a honey color and the other a copper color. Both have orange-red lips with pale yellow in females and red in males. The male usually has a yellowish belly, a blue stripe running across the eye, and on its flanks in orange color. Males develop a gold coloration with a black stripe along their sides, while females are a silver-white color. The coloration on the top of their bodies will take on a deeper shade when they are in breeding conditions. They have a thin black spot near the middle of their tail fin, which is also when they tend to be more territorial and aggressive.
Honey Gourami makes a great starter fish for your aquarium. Their relative ease of care makes them a favorite among first-time aquarium hobbyists. While they are known to be calm fish, they are very territorial and thus should not be kept with other large, robust fish. They will flare their gills and spread their fins to appear as large as possible when facing an opponent.
The Honey Gourami is a beautiful, peaceful fish that does best if given plenty of room to swim since it grows up to 5 inches long. It is a nice addition to the community tank. The male of this species can be identified by the larger gray marking that extends from its mouth and around its eye.
With an orange body, this fish is most recognized for the red barbell on its nose, and three additional red bars on its tail. The bright colors are attractive to many fish species, making it an interesting option for larger tanks.
The Honey Gourami is one of the most popular gouramis due to its peaceful nature and attractive coloration. It shouldn’t be kept with larger or more boisterous fish since it can be bullied.
Honey Gourami makes the tank look alive with bubble nests. These tropical fish are not picky eaters and will readily accept most flake and hearty pellet food. In nature, it lives in tight schools and feeds on insects, worms, and crustaceans they find in the water. It also likes live and frozen food.
The Honey Gourami is an excellent choice for beginner fish hobbyists looking to add colorful gourami to their tanks. The Honey Gourami can be housed in a community tank or combined in a species tank with others of its kind.
This is good quality gourami to be kept as pets since they can adapt well in most water parameters and do not need very special tank conditions. The Honey Gourami is a favorite amongst many hobbyists.
This fish does not require large spaces, so it can be placed in a small aquarium. The minimum aquarium size should be no less than 18 gallons and should have lots of hiding spots like driftwood and/or plants (preferably Java Fern). It prefers warm waters and the best temperature range for it is 75-82 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pH should be around 6.5. It enjoys the company of various tank mates, but will sometimes eat smaller bottom dwellers.
Final Words
Honey Gourami (Trichogaster chuna) is undoubtedly one of the favorite fish of the freshwater aquarium. It is a freshwater aquarium fish and you can also keep it in ponds as an ornamental fish.
It is famous as a symbol of love and fidelity. These are schooling fish and they need constant companionship. You should keep it in a well-established aquarium with live plants.
