The Chocolate Gourami fish or Sphaerichthys osphromenoides is a difficult fish to care for. This aquarium freshwater fish is easily susceptible to bacteria and skin parasites so make sure you change the water often. They are a peaceful fish that works best when kept in pairs or with other peaceful smaller fish. The Chocolate Gourami grows to about 2-1/2" in length and should be kept in a tank no smaller than 40 gallons. Water conditions of 75-86° F and a PH level of 6.0-7.0 is highly recommended. This fish is greenish brown in color and has vertical yellow strips along its body. This fish is an omnivore so it should be fed meaty food as well as algae based foods.
The best way to differentiate between the male and female is the yellow border that extends along the edge of the male's anal and caudal fins. These fish can breed in a tank so if you get so lucky these fish are quite entertaining to watch. After the male fertilizes the eggs the female will carry these eggs in her mouth for 14 days before they hatch. During this time the female Chocolate Gourami fish will not eat at all so it is very important to keep this fish healthy before breeding. This strange method of carrying eggs is called mouth brooding. To check out these fish in action have a look at the video below...
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