Skip to Content

How Big Do Gouramis Get? (By Type)

How Big Do Gouramis Get? (By Type)

Share this post:

This post is written to the author's best knowledge and is not intended to be used in place of veterinary advice. In addition, this post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you’ve recently bought a few gourami fish for your aquarium, then you’re probably learning about them as best you can. You want to be able to care for the fish to the best of your ability, after all.

It’s normal to have lots of questions when you’re starting out. You don’t know a lot about these fish yet, but you’re intrigued to know more.

For example, you might be curious about how big these fish can get. Are gourami fish going to be rather large once they mature or do they stay small?

Read on to learn about how big gouramis get. You’ll learn a bit about their growth rates as well as information about different types of gouramis.

How Big Do Gouramis Get?

Gouramis can get very big, but they can also be quite small. You see, gouramis aren’t going to grow to be the same size all the time.

There are many different types of gouramis out there that you can buy. Some of these gouramis are going to be tiny, but some of them are very likely larger than you would imagine.

To truly understand how big gouramis get, it’s going to be necessary to look at each species individually. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to get an accurate answer to this question.

Depending on what type of fish you want, you might gravitate toward certain types of gouramis. Having a better understanding of how large certain gouramis can be will help you make a choice.

Some gouramis will be as small as one and a half inches long. Others have the potential to grow as large as twenty-eight inches long.

You can see that there is a big disparity between those size estimations. It’ll be necessary to keep reading to learn more.

How Fast Do Gouramis Grow?

The growth rate of gouramis will differ by species as well. Some are fast growers while others will be slow.

For example, the kissing gourami fish is considered to be a bit of a slow-growing fish. Giant gouramis can grow quite fast, and it’s said that they can grow one inch per month under the right conditions.

Some gourami fish will take four to six years to reach maximum growth. Others might be able to get there a little bit more quickly.

Gourami Max Size

Two Giant Gouramis in Large Tank With Minimal Decor

The maximum size of a gourami is twenty-eight inches long. Of course, this is only referred to the maximum size of a specific type of gourami.

Below, you’re going to learn more about how big gouramis can get. You’ll look at each different species and learn how long they will grow at maturity.

After you’ve determined how big all of the gouramis will be at adulthood, you’ll be able to better choose which gouramis will make sense for your situation. For some people, certain big gouramis will be impractical to purchase.

These are really neat fish that you will surely love. It’s just imperative to pick out gouramis that make sense for you.

How Big Do Dwarf Gouramis Get?

Dwarf gouramis are among the most common types that you will find for sale. This is partially because they’re considered to be such great community tank fish.

Also, they’re quite easy to take care of. The fact that they’re beginner-friendly and they get along with other fish well makes them very popular.

You do still have to pick out appropriate tank mates for them if you wish to place them in a community tank, though. That being said, these fish will grow to be somewhere between two and three inches at maturity.

Keep this fish in a 10-gallon tank or larger to get the best results. Usually, it’s better to give them more room if you want to put other fish in the tank with them.

How Big Do Honey Gouramis Get?

Honey gouramis are another fairly small type of gourami fish. These ones are going to be slightly smaller than the dwarf gouramis on average.

A honey gourami fish is only going to grow to be around two and a half inches long. It’ll be able to be kept in a 10-gallon tank just the same as dwarf gouramis.

It’s an incredibly peaceful type of fish that will get along well with others in a community tank setting. Just be sure to pick tank mates for the fish that won’t try to bully it.

Caring for this fish won’t be hard at all. You’ll love the honey-like color of these fish, too.

How Big Do Sparkling Gouramis Get?

Macro Shot of Sparkling Gourami

Sparkling gouramis are pretty popular, but they’re very small overall. These are the smallest gouramis that you can find.

They’re only going to grow to be between one and a half and two inches long. That’s pretty small, and you’re going to want to keep them together.

Most people keep at least two sparkling gouramis in a 10-gallon fish tank. Some choose to keep these fish in groups of four to six, though.

It might be better to give them a larger tank if you’re keeping a small group of them. This is because it’s always best to give fish a little more room than they actually need.

How Big Do Pearl Gouramis Get?

Pearl gouramis stand out as some of the most beautiful freshwater fish that you can buy. These are truly striking fish that are going to make you happy to own them.

Typically, pearl gouramis are going to grow to be between four and five inches at maturity. They’re considered to be some of the easiest gouramis to take care of, too.

Since they’re beginner-friendly fish, it’s easy to recommend them to anyone. You’ll just need to be sure that you have at least a 30-gallon fish tank for them.

They’ll do great in larger community tanks as well. Just remember to go a bit larger with the fish tank if you plan to put many fish in your community aquarium.

How Big Do Kissing Gouramis Get?

Kissing Gourami Near Top of Tank With Floating Plants

Kissing gouramis are big and aggressive types of fish. These fish are ones that you will need to be careful with.

If you try to put them in a community tank without putting thought into the tank mates that you give them, then they might harm the other fish. They often spar with each other and they will fight other fish.

These fish can grow to be between eight and twelve inches long. In aquariums, the kissing gouramis usually wind up being closer to eight inches long.

You’ll need to keep them in a 55-gallon tank to keep them happy. If you want them to be in a community tank, then it’s wise to go a bit larger than that.

How Big Do Giant Gouramis Get?

Giant gouramis are the biggest type of gouramis fish that you will find. These behemoths can be as large as twenty-eight inches.

The fish will likely reach somewhere between twenty and twenty-eight inches at maturity. This is a huge fish, and you’ll need to have a very large tank if you want to own one.

It’s said that you need a 200-gallon fish tank at a minimum for these huge fish. Most people won’t have enough room in their homes to house such a big aquarium.

If you don’t think it’s practical for you to own one of these fish, then it might be wise to move on and pick another type of gourami fish. This doesn’t mean that these fish can’t be fun to own, though.

How Big Do Blue Gouramis Get?

Blue Gourami With Neon Tetras and Tiger Barbs in the Background

Blue gouramis are also known as three spot gouramis. Three spot gouramis are essentially plain versions of blue gouramis that aren’t as commonly sold in pet stores.

A blue gouramis will grow to be between six and eight inches in length. Since it’s pretty big, it’s going to require a 30-gallon tank.

This is a fairly aggressive fish that will bully many different types of fish. Since it’s so aggressive, you have to be careful when picking tank mates for it.

Luckily, the fish is at least easy to take care of. You should have a good time with this pretty fish if you decide to purchase one.

How Big Do Paradise Gouramis Get?

Paradise gouramis are even more aggressive than the blue gouramis mentioned above. These are definitely bully fish that will bother others in a community tank setting.

Many people don’t bother to put these fish in community tanks. You still can if you want to, but you need to pick tank mates carefully to avoid having issues.

This fish only grows to be between three and four inches. It might not be all that big, but it certainly has an aggressive attitude.

You’ll be able to keep these fish in 20-gallon fish tanks. They’re simple to care for, and they definitely look appealing enough that you might be willing to put up with their aggressive nature.

How Big Do Licorice Gouramis Get?

Licorice gouramis are very popular when you get down to it. They look fairly plain and they’re also very shy fish.

You generally don’t see these fish being sold at pet stores often. However, some people think that they’re really neat.

These are small gouramis that will grow to be two inches long at maturity. They need to be kept in a 10-gallon fish tank.

Avoid these fish if you’re a beginner. They’re considered to be a bit difficult to care for.

How Big Do Chocolate Gouramis Get?

Chocolate Gourami

Chocolate gouramis are very similar to the licorice gouramis mentioned above. They will also grow to be two inches long at adulthood.

You can keep them in 10-gallon tanks successfully. They’re also difficult to take care of.

If you don’t have experience looking after fish, then this one will be hard to keep alive. They’re well known to have issues with diseases such as pop eye.

Chocolate gouramis also commonly get fungal infections. You’ll need to be very careful with the water parameters if you choose to buy this fish.

How Big Do Snakeskin Gouramis Get?

Snakeskin gouramis are really interesting. You actually don’t see these gourami fish being sold as often in pet stores.

This is because they aren’t as colorful as many of the other gouramis. They still look really neat because they look as if they have snakeskin.

These are somewhat big gouramis that will grow to be between six and eight inches long. You’ll need to keep them in a 30-gallon fish tank.

In the wild, snakeskin gouramis are said to be able to grow as long as ten inches. These fish are decidedly easy to care for and they’re also quite peaceful.

This makes them good candidates for community fish tanks. You should be able to find several good tank mates for them.

Moonlight Gouramis

Moonlight gouramis are considered to be closely related to blue gouramis. However, these fish are actually peaceful in nature.

They make much better community fish than blue gouramis do. It’s also true that many people think these fish look absolutely stunning.

A moonlight gouramis is going to grow to be six inches long when it reaches adulthood. You’ll need to keep it in a 20-gallon tank or larger to keep it healthy.

This fish is very laid-back and easy to care for. It should make a good fish for a beginner or anyone who just appreciates pretty freshwater fish.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have learned about how big gouramis get, it’ll be simple to decide which ones to buy. You might only be able to keep smaller types of gouramis in your home aquarium due to not having a lot of space.

All of the gouramis mentioned in this article will be interesting in different ways. Some people really love keeping the smaller gouramis, but others will gravitate toward the larger ones.

Just ensure that you’re ready for the responsibility of caring for whichever fish you wind up liking. Once you feel that you’re ready to move forward, you’ll be able to go to the pet store to purchase your gourami fish.

These are satisfying fish for both beginners and veterans to own. It might be worthwhile to measure how much space you have before getting started if you don’t already own a fish tank, though.

Share this post: