Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Pearl Gourami
Trichopodus leerii (Bleeker, 1852)
Also called Lace Gourami, Mosaic Gourami, Leeri Gourami
From Southeast Asia: Thailand, the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo, in lowland swamps and slow, plant-filled streams.123
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Laterally compressed labyrinth fish
An oval, flattened fish with long thread-like pelvic fins, covered in a fine mother-of-pearl dotting over a silvery-brown base and a dark line running from the head toward the tail.3
Personality what they are like
A gentle, unhurried fish that suits a peaceful community; males can be a little territorial with one another, especially when nesting.2
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Glides slowly in the upper and middle water, often coming to the surface to take a breath of air.12
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Keep the water clean and warm with a lid to hold humid air above the surface; plenty of plants and floating cover help it feel secure.21
Home where they are happiest
At least a 90 x 30 cm base (about 80 litres), densely planted with floating plants and gentle flow. Temperature about 24-30 C, pH 5.5-8.0, hardness around 2-30 dGH.21
Food basics what goes in the bowl
An easy omnivore that accepts most foods: quality dried food plus small live or frozen foods.21
Company who they like around
Peaceful with calm tankmates; keep one male with several females, or a group in a larger tank.2
The story where it all began
Dutch ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker described it in 1852 from a fish collected at Palembang, Sumatra, honouring his colleague J.M. van Leer. It has long been a favourite community fish in planted aquariums.3
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
It is an obligate air-breather, using a labyrinth organ to gulp air at the surface.1
- 2
Males build bubble nests that can reach about 25 cm across among floating plants.2
- 3
A breeding male's throat turns a vivid orange-red to impress females.3
- 4
Its species name honours Lieutenant-Colonel J.M. van Leer, a medical colleague of Bleeker.3
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Near Threatened (assessed 21 January 2019)1
- Taxonomy
- Described by Pieter Bleeker in 1852 as Trichopus leerii3
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Pearl Gourami. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Glass cleanevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Dwarf GouramiLike what we are building? Buy Archy a bone.
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Archy is our Australian Cattle Dog and chief taste tester. Tips go to 4V3D OÜ, the small family studio behind Furry Diary.
Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Trichopodus leerii fishbase.seused for size, origin, water, IUCN, air-breathing
- Seriously Fish: Trichopodus leerii seriouslyfish.comused for care, tank, water, diet, behaviour, breeding, lifespan
- Wikipedia: Pearl gourami en.wikipedia.orgused for names, appearance, etymology, history
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.