2x Moonlight gourami - Trichogaster microlepis - pair

The moonlight gourami - Trichogaster microlepsis, is found throughout mainland Southeast Asian mainland widespread. There it lives in the shallow, shaded and not overgrown zones of slowly flowing to still waters. Its name (microlespsis) comes from its very small scales, which is why it will be known to some aquarists as the small scale gourami.

The animals become up to 15 cm in size and stand out in the group of the eastern gourami as the only only species without body markings stand out. Thereby the animals appear in a silvery light blue tone, to which they owe their German name Mondscheinfadenfisch. It is also interesting that the eyes of adult fish take on an intense red. Despite their size, the animals are very calm, peaceful and are best kept in in small groups of 5-7 animals care.

For the care already a tank of 120 cm edge length. They clearly prefer slightly acidic water and feel at a pH value between 6 and 7 feel most comfortable. A temperature range of 26-30 Celsius is best for the fish. They can be a bit shy and it is recommended to arrange the tanks very densely like their home and to offer them many hiding places and retreats. Like all Labyrinth fish they need enough air space at the water surface to be able to breathe there.

Females have more rounded fins than males, but the animals show less sexual dimorphism on than other gourami. For breeding you have to find a suitable male and female and put them in a separate tank which is equipped with many plants and floating plants and floating plants, so that the Foam nesting succeeds. The surface of the water must be very calm, because the animals can breed produce up to 1000 young and the foam nests are correspondingly large. The male then guards the nest until the young hatch and both parents can be removed as soon as the young swim free.

The animals are peaceful and can be socialized well with other fish and invertebrates. However, the company must be large enough, because the Moonlight Gourami, like all other gourami, eats what it catches and what fits in its mouth. Dwarf grassboras and dwarf shrimps are therefore unfortunately not suitable. Crayfish are strongly discouraged, they can significantly injure the fish.

In the aquarium it can happen that the animals go to plants. In densely overgrown tanks this is usually not a problem, but if you want to avoid this, you should occasional feeding of plant food well advised. Otherwise the animals feed mainly on Molluscs, small crustaceans and insects, as well as their larvae. They are not known to be fussy eaters and will eat both Frozen food as well as Dry food accepted. An occasional feeding with Live food keeps the animals active and healthy and is therefore important.

Our food recommendation: With the NatureHolic BettaFeed a special food for fighting fish was tailor-made, whose soft granules remind of the consistency of insect larvae in nature. The soft beads protect the sensitive fish mouth from micro-cracks caused by too hard food granules. The specially developed NH Immun+ complex as well as the NH Color+ high-performance additive support the immune system and the magnificent color formation of the fish.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free from snails, planaria and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend when keeping fish the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.