Product Details

Sunset Gourami – Trichogaster labiosa

The Sunset Gourami is a peaceful, colourful form of the Thick-lipped Gourami, showing warm orange, gold and red tones across a deeper-bodied gourami shape. Correctly listed as Trichogaster labiosa, this captive-bred colour form is usually hardier and more community-friendly than many Dwarf Gourami strains. It is best kept in a calm, planted aquarium with gentle flow, warm stable water and peaceful tank mates.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Sunset Gourami
Other Names: Sunset Thick-lipped Gourami, Thick-lipped Gourami, Thicklip Gourami, Orange Thick-lipped Gourami, Red Sunset Gourami
Scientific Name: Trichogaster labiosa
Fish Type: Gourami / Labyrinth Fish
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:

Wild Trichogaster labiosa is native to southern Myanmar, where it is associated with freshwater river habitats and slow-moving vegetated areas. Like other gouramis, it has a labyrinth organ and can breathe atmospheric air, so it regularly visits the surface.

The Sunset Gourami is a captive-bred aquarium colour form rather than a wild locality. Aquarium care should reflect the species’ natural preference for warm, calm, planted water with gentle filtration, shaded cover and easy access to the surface.

Appearance & Adult Size:

Sunset Gouramis have a thicker, more robust body than Dwarf Gouramis, with rounded fins and long thread-like pelvic feelers. The sunset form usually shows orange, gold, red or honey-red colouration, sometimes with subtle striping or shading across the body and fins. Males are usually more colourful and may have more extended dorsal and anal fins, while females tend to be rounder and softer in colour.

Adults usually reach around 7–9 cm, making them larger and more substantial than Honey Gouramis but smaller than many three-spot gourami forms.

Aquarium Suitability:

This is a good choice for peaceful planted community aquariums. Sunset Gouramis appreciate floating plants, tall background plants, wood, gentle water movement and calm surface areas. They are suitable as a colourful centrepiece fish in aquariums that are not too busy or aggressive.

They are not suitable for aggressive cichlid tanks, fin-nipping barb communities, very fast high-flow aquariums, tiny nano tanks or setups with no surface access. Avoid mixing them with rough or dominant gouramis in smaller aquariums.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 90 litres for a single male or a peaceful pair, with a tank length of at least 75 cm recommended. Larger aquariums of 120 litres or more are better for groups, mixed communities or more than one male.

This species can be kept singly, as a pair, or as a small group in larger planted aquariums. Males may become territorial, especially around surface plants or during breeding, so provide visual barriers and avoid crowding.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 22–28°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
Hardness: Soft to moderately hard
Additional Notes: Keep water warm, stable and clean, with gentle filtration and calm surface areas. Gouramis breathe air from the surface, so leave access to open water and avoid chilling draughts above the aquarium. A tight-fitting lid helps keep the air above the water warm and humid.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Community Fish

Sunset Gouramis are generally peaceful and suitable for calm community aquariums. Suitable tank mates include peaceful tetras, rasboras, small barbs that are not nippy, Cory-type catfish, kuhli loaches, small peaceful plecs, calm livebearers in compatible water and other gentle community fish.

Avoid Tiger Barbs, Serpae Tetras in unsuitable groups, fin-nippers, aggressive cichlids, large predators, very boisterous feeders and other territorial labyrinth fish in cramped tanks. Long feeler fins can be tempting to nippy species, so choose tank mates carefully.

Feeding:

Sunset Gouramis are easy-feeding omnivores. Offer quality flakes, small floating pellets or soft granules as the staple diet. Supplement with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, cyclops, brineshrimp, mosquito larvae and small bloodworm. Occasional vegetable-based or spirulina foods can be included for balance.

They feed readily from the surface and midwater, but avoid allowing faster tank mates to take all food before the gourami has fed.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

This species is usually calm and deliberate, spending time among plants, near the surface and through the middle levels of the aquarium. The thread-like pelvic fins are used to explore surroundings and should not be damaged by sharp décor or nippy tank mates.

Males may build bubble nests among floating plants and become more territorial during breeding. Courtship and nest guarding are normal labyrinth-fish behaviours, but extra cover is helpful so females and tank mates can move away if needed.

Care Notes:

Add Sunset Gouramis only to a mature, fully cycled aquarium. Provide plant cover, gentle flow and access to the surface. Avoid strong current across the whole tank, cold air above the water, poor water quality and aggressive companions. A planted layout with floating cover helps them feel secure and shows their colour well.

Because “Sunset Gourami” is sometimes used for different trade fish, check stock carefully. This listing is for the Thick-lipped Gourami form, Trichogaster labiosa, not the smaller Sunset Honey Gourami.

Recommended For:

Beginner to intermediate

Availability:

Common to occasional / Usually captive-bred colour form

Image Disclaimer:

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Natural variation in size, orange colour, red tone, fin shape, body depth and markings can occur between individual fish.