Best Tank Setup For Sparkling Gourami

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Creating the perfect aquarium environment for your Sparkling Gourami is easy to do. Once you know what kind of environment they do best in you’re set to go.

The best tank setup for Sparkling Gourami is one with plenty of plants, minimal flow and low/moderate lighting. Because Sparkling Gourami are a tropical fish the water needs to be warm, clean and oxygenated. The addition of leaf litter, driftwood and pebbles, helps to create an environment that will help to make them feel at home.

Whether you’re setting up a Sparkling Gourami only tank, or adding them to an existing community tank, you can keep things easy-care. It doesn’t need to be complicated to keep them happy and healthy.

In this article I’ll be explaining how to set up a freshwater tank for your Sparkling Gourami. I’ll also be giving you some information and tips about adding them to, or building up, a Sparkling Gourami friendly community tank.

Tip: Decide how many Sparkling Gourami you want to keep before you buy the tank. If you buy the tank first the size of the tank will dictate how many you can keep. If you’re adding Sparkling Gourami to an existing community tank you need to take both the tank size, and the number of established inhabitants, into account before buying more fish.

Choosing A Tank For Your Sparkling Gourami

Although Sparkling Gourami are not considered to be a schooling fish they do prefer to live in groups of at least 6 of their own species. So once you’ve decided on how many Sparkling Gourami you want to keep you can start looking for the right tank for them.

Because the Sparkling Gourami is a tiny fish you don’t have to have a large tank to keep them in. In fact they are often kept in Nano tanks on office desks, kitchen counters, and even in kids bedrooms.

Nonetheless, they do need room in the tank for plenty of plants, and of course, room to swim around freely. So it’s important that they are not kept in cramped conditions even if they are kept in a small aquarium.

Just because Sparkling Gourami can be kept successfully in a Nano tank it doesn’t mean that you are restricted to only having a small tank for them. The larger the tank, the more sparkling Gourami you can keep together. And you’ll also have more scope if you want to build up a community aquarium.

Tip: Sparkling Gourami will breed in an aquarium so it’s important to take that into account when choosing a tank for them. Make sure you have extra room in the tank for any new arrivals. Or be prepared to set up a separate breeding/nursery tank.

For more information about how these fish breed read my article How Do Sparkling Gourami Breed?

So What Size Tank Do Sparkling Gourami Need?

The size of tank you will need for your Sparkling Gourami will depend on a few things. When choosing a tank it’s best to take the points below into consideration before buying a tank.

The number of Sparkling Gourami you want to keep
The size of Sparkling Gourami when they are full grown (approx. 1-1.5 inches/2.54-3.81 cm)

Spare litres/gallons for fry if your Sparkling Gourami breed
Plenty of room for plants but leaving plenty of swim-room for the fish too
Room for any other fish/shrimp/snail that will share the tank

My advice, as I don’t know what you have in mind for your Sparkling Gourami tank, is to make a plan taking all of the above points into account. Then speak to your local Pet Sore/Aquatic Dealer for guidance on a suitably sized tank for all of your planned inhabitants.

There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to choosing the right tank for your fish. So having a plan and getting some guidance is a great help.

Note: It’s always better to understock rather than overstock a fish tank, particularly in a new tank setup. If you add too many fish at once you run the risk of an ammonia spike which can be fatal. This applies to a Sparkling Gourami only tank as well as to a community tank.

Tip: Sparkling Gourami are great at jumping out of the water. Even if they haven’t been spooked they are still likely to jump. So it’s advisable to have a close fitting lid on your tank to prevent losing your fish.

What’s The Best Tank Layout For Sparkling Gourami?

Although the Sparkling Gourami is an easy-care fish they do better in a tank that provides at least the basic things that will make them feel at home. The closer you make the tank environment to their native habitat the better the chances you have of them thriving.

The Sparkling Gourami is native to Southeast Asia and lives in freshwater swamps, ditches and paddy fields. It can also be found in flooded forests, slow moving streams and ponds.

Understanding their native habitat helps you to create a an aquarium that your Sparkling Gourami will be happy in. And also one that you will enjoy keeping.

A Good Tank Layout For Sparkling Gourami Generally Includes:

Plants – A heavily planted tank, which can include a combination of stem, epiphyte and floating plants for example, is important for Sparkling Gourami (there’s more information about plants/types in the next section ).

Rocks/Pebbles – (Like these found on Amazon) Use these to create caves and/or a more natural look to the tank bottom.

Leaf Debris – Helps to create a more natural look and feel to the tank. Catappa leaves (Amazon Link) are a good choice as they release beneficial tannins into the water but you can use Oak Leaves for this too.

Substrate – (Amazon Link) Sand/Coarse Sand or fine gravel work well in a Sparkling Gourami tank. But any type of substrate you prefer is ok.

You can also add Wood/Twigs (Amazon Link) and Alder Cones to create a natural and interesting effect.

Tip: Make sure that any wood/twigs, alder cones and leaves etc are aquarium safe. This is particularly important if you forage for them yourself. Any natural tank debris needs to be pest and pesticide free or you risk infecting/poisoning your fish.

Tip: When choosing a substrate and/or background for your Sparkling Gourami tank dark ones show off their colours and their sparkle better than light ones.

It’s up to you how you position the stuff in the tank to create the effect you want. But if you include the things on the list above you’ll be creating an aquarium that your Sparkling Gourami will feel at home in.

Bacopa Plant In The Foreground With Java Moss In The Background

Do Sparkling Gourami Need A Planted Tank?

Sparkling Gourami need a planted tank for several reasons. A densely planted tank provides places for this shy fish to retreat to. The knock-on effect of this is that they are more likely to be seen exploring the tank because they feel safe. Another reason is that the male Sparkling Gourami builds his bubble nest amongst the plant leaves. And when the fry emerge from the bubble nest the plants give them hiding places to escape from adult fish and predators. Plants also help to recreate a more natural environment which helps to reduce stress.

Live plants also help to keep the tank water clean by using up nutrients in the water to grow. Which means that a planted tank is often easier to maintain than an unplanted one.

If you’re not sure which plants to use, or you haven’t bought live plants before, I’ve got some suggestions for you.

7 Easy-Care Plants For A Sparkling Gourami Tank

Bacopa Family Plants – Various (Stem plants that need to be planted in the substrate)
Anubias – Large leaved plant (needs planting in the substrate)
Hornwort – Feathery plant (can be planted, attached or left to float)

Java Fern – Wide leaved plant (can be planted or attached)
Frogbit – Floating plant
Red Root Floaters (floating fern plants with red roots)

Java Moss (attach to wood, rocks and/or tank decorations)

There are lots of other easy-care plants that you can use in your Sparkling Gourami tank. Water Lettuce (floating), Guppy Grass (carpeting) and Water Wisteria (planted) are just a few of the other options that you can consider for your Sparkling Gourami tank.

Artificial/Fake Plants

I know that not every fish keeper wants to keep live plants. The good news is that you don’t have to have live plants in your Sparkling Gourami tank. You can use artificial/fake ones if you prefer. But it’s important to choose ones that have soft leaves and no sharp edges to reduce the risk of injuring your fish. And you need to bear in mind that you won’t get the natural ‘filtering’ benefits that live plants provide. Nonetheless, your Sparkling Gourami won’t mind that the plants aren’t real as long as they have densely planted areas.

If, over time, you decide to try some live plants in your tank the list and suggestions above provide a good starting point.

Tip: The Sparkling Gourami is a labyrinth fish. Which means that it needs to take in air from the water’s surface from time to time. It’s important to keep your floating plants under control so there are patches of open water that allow your fish to come up to the surface. Using a floating ring to create a plant free space on the surface is an easy solution. A ring is also useful when it comes to feeding your fish as it provides a plant-free area to drop the food into.

Do Sparkling Gourami Need A Filter?

Sparkling Gourami need a filtered tank to move the water, remove toxins and oxygenate the aquarium. However, any filter you use in your Sparkling Gourami tank needs to only produce minimal flow. In their native habitat these freshwater fish live in slow flowing and even stagnant water. So if the flow in an aquarium is too fast it will cause the fish to become stressed. And stress is one of the biggest killers of aquarium fish.

An aquarium filter is also important for ‘growing’ the beneficial bacteria that help to make the tank environment a healthy one.

A Sponge Filter (link to my article explaining in more detail) run by an air pump is ideal when it comes to minimal flow. A sponge filter also provides oxygenation and a surface for beneficial bacteria to grow on. And once the sponge filter is fully cycled it also provides biological filtration alongside the mechanical removal of tank debris. As an added bonus a sponge filter is inexpensive, easy to clean and won’t suck in your Sparkling Gourami or their fry.

If you’re using a sponge filter and air pump setup in your Sparkling Gourami tank you won’t need a really powerful pump. But the pump does need to be able to filter the amount of water in the tank on an hourly basis. A simple way to regulate the flow of a sponge filter is to use an Adjustable Air Pump (Like these ones on Amazon). You may have to experiment a little to get the flow/filtration right but at least with an adjustable pump you have the option to turn it up, or down, as needed.

You can use a different type of tank filter if you prefer as long as it’s not causing too much movement in the water.

Here Are Some Other Filter Options For Your Sparkling Gourami Tank

Internal Box Filter – This type of filter hangs or ‘suckers’ onto the inside of your tank. Often with the water return part sitting above the water level in your tank creating a waterfall effect. But the way the water is returned will depend on the type of internal box filter you buy. Some are completely submerged which means you can’t see the filtered water returning to the tank. Internal box filters can come with replaceable filter cartridges or a simple sponge insert. They are often included as part of a tank starter kit but can be bought separately.

HOB (Hang-On-The-Back Filter) – Just as it sounds this type of filter hangs on the back of the tank. The filter box part hangs over the outside of the tank and the intake tube sits in the water. The box part can be filled with filter media of all kinds which can be changed to suit the needs of your fish. The filtered water is returned to the tank via a lip/spout that creates a waterfall effect.

External Filter – An external filtering system sits outside of the tank. Usually under the tank stand/cabinet and is hidden from sight. The intake pumps the water out of the aquarium into a filtering unit. Then it pumps the water back again through a return tube once it’s been cleaned. It does this on a regular cycle. However, unless you have a seriously large tank, or you’re running several tanks off the same filtration system, you’re unlikely to go for this option.

Tip: If the filter you’re using in your Sparkling Gourami tank has an intake tube, or an open grid intake section, you need to cover it. Using a fine mesh, or a sponge intake cover, will help to prevent both adults and fry being sucked into the filter mechanism.

No matter which type of filter you choose it’s important to remember that the flow needs to be minimal.

No-Filter Option For A Sparkling Gourami Tank

It is possible to keep Sparkling Gourami in a tank that doesn’t have a filter. But if you choose to keep them in a no-filter tank there are a few points to consider. Firstly the tank will need to be bigger than a filtered one for the same amount of fish. This is because you will need a larger water surface area to help with gas exchange. Secondly, the tank will need to be densely planted with live plants to help reduce/use up excess nutrients in the water. Thirdly you will need to carry out almost daily water changes to keep the water parameters within safe limits. If you’re happy to carry out a little more tank maintenance and regularly test the water, your sparkling gourami should do just fine. After all, Sparkling Gourami have been kept successfully in no-filter tanks and it’s up to you whether to filter or not.

Do Sparkling Gourami Need A Tank Light?

Sparkling Gourami prefer low lighting in their aquarium. If the light is too bright they are likely to spend most of their time hiding away in the shadows. But you do need to bear in mind that they love a tank that’s densely planted. So you need to get a lighting balance that suits both the fish and the plants. This doesn’t have to be complicated to achieve. In fact there’s a few simple things you can do to make the light right for both fish and plants.

Make sure your tank light is low to medium in intensity

Choose plants that thrive in low/medium light levels (see the above section about plants for a Sparkling Gourami)
Have densely planted areas that provide shade and cover for your Sparkling Gourami
Use floating plants to soften the light before it reaches the water

Use rock piles to create caves or use pre-made cave tank decorations

The main point is not to have the tank light too bright in the first place and then to provide shaded areas. It might sound odd but lower light and plenty of hiding places encourage your Sparkling Gourami to swim out and about in the tank where you will see them more often.

Do Sparkling Gourami Need A Heater?

Because Sparkling Gourami are a tropical fish they need a heater in their tank. They do better in a stable water temperature range of between 21.9 – 26.9 Degrees Celsius (71.5 – 80.5 Fahrenheit). The temperature can be increased to encourage breeding to 28 Degrees Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit). Stability in water temperature is important for tropical fish as fluctuations in temperature can cause stress and illness. So unless you have a dedicated fish room that is constantly heated to the correct temperature you will need an aquarium heater in your Sparkling Gourami tank.

Even if you do have a heated fish room it’s worth having a tank heater to hand in case your room heating breaks down. Then at least you can heat the tank in its own right until you are able to heat the room again. It’s always worth having a ‘plan B’ to protect your fish.

Tip: Even if you have a thermostatically controlled water heater in your aquarium it’s a good idea to have an in-tank thermometer. It’s an easy way to check that your tank heater is working properly. And if you check it daily it’s an early warning if things are going wrong with the tank temperature.

What Kind Of Water Is Best For Sparkling Gourami?

Sparkling Gourami are an easy-care aquarium fish which means that they are not demanding when it comes to water parameters. Sparkling Gourami prefer softer slightly acidic water. However, they also do well in harder water. The main consideration is to keep the flow/current in the water to a minimum. And the water needs to be filtered, oxygenated and at at the correct temperature too.

Carrying out regular weekly partial water changes, and 4 weekly full tank maintenance, is the easiest way to keep the water in your Sparkling Gourami tank healthy. You might prefer a different timetable for partial water changes and full maintenance but it’s important to keep it regular without leaving it too long in between each one.

Tip: When setting up a Sparkling Gourami tank, and on all water changes, the water should be dechlorinated using a reputable aquarium water treatment product. These products not only eliminate Chlorine and Chloramines they also get rid of any heavy metals that might harm your fish.

Two Tap Water Conditioners popular with fish keepers are Prime by Seachem and API Tap Water Conditioner (links will take you to Amazon) but there are other tap water treatments and conditioners available too.

Tankmates For Sparkling Gourami

The best tankmates for Sparkling Gourami are other small peaceful tropical fish. They can also live happily with non-aggressive shrimp and snails that are suited to a tropical tank setup. The main thing to remember when it comes to tankmates for Sparkling gourami is that they need to be peaceful, non-aggressive, and not too lively. Fast swimming, extremely active tankmates, can feel intimidating to Sparkling Gourami. Which means that they will hide themselves away and you will be unlikely to see them often, if at all.

Here’s Some Of The Fish/Shrimp/Snail Tankmates For Sparkling Gourami

Dwarf Gourami (e.g. Pearl Gourami/ Pearl Gourami)
Small Rasbora (e.g. Chilli Rasbora/Galaxy Rasbora – aka Celestial Pearl Danio

Small Tetra (e.g. Neon/Ember/Gold)
Platy (all variations)
Kuhli Loach (a mainly bottom dwelling snake-like fish)

Otocinclus (dwarf ‘sucker’ fish)
Pygmy Corydoras (e.g. Panda/Bronze Corydoras Catfish)
Shrimp (Wood/Bamboo Shrimp, Amano and Cherry Shrimp)

Snails (Nerite, Ramshorn, Mystery)

There are a lot more fish, shrimp and snails that will live peacefully with your Sparkling Gourami but the list above will give you a good place to start. If you prefer something different than those listed have a word with your local Pet Store/Aquatic Dealer for some alternative tankmates.

Can I Add Sparkling Gourami To An Established Community Tank?

You can add Sparkling Gourami to an established community tank as long as the tank environment, temperature and the other inhabitants are a suitable match. Sparkling Gourami are happy to share their aquarium with other fish, shrimp and snails as long as they are non-aggressive and not big enough to eat them (see list of tankmates above).

You do need to make sure that there is enough room in your tank before adding Sparkling Gourami. Because even though they are not a fast swimming fish they do need space to swim in. And also bear in mind that they are likely to breed and increase their number once they have settled in to your community aquarium.

So, as long as the conditions are right and there’s room for all (with a potential increase), you can add Sparkling Gourami to your established community tank.

Interesting Fact: Sparkling Gourami make an audible ‘croaking sound’. The sound is made by both males and females using their pectoral fins as part of the mating ritual. Male Sparkling Gourami also use the ‘croaking sound’ when they are defending their territory against other males.

The Takeaway

I realise that in this article I’ve given you lots of information about The Best Tank Setup For Sparkling Gourami. So I thought it was a good idea to create a short list of the main points that I’ve covered.

Here’s The Takeaway

Decide how many Sparkling Gourami you want to keep before buying a tank
Use plenty of plants to create places for the fish to retreat to

Filter/oxygenate the tank but keep the water flow minimal
Tank lighting should be low to medium
Tank temperature should be kept constant (approx. 21.9-26.9 Celsius/71.5-80.5 Fahrenheit)

Water quality should be clean, free of toxins and maintained
Tankmates need to be small and non-aggressive