Red Robin Gourami (Trichogaster labiosa)

The Red Robin Gourami is a stunning selectively bred color variant of the Honey Gourami, prized for its rich red-orange coloration and calm personality. This attractive labyrinth fish is an excellent choice for planted aquariums and peaceful community setups, where its vibrant colors provide a striking contrast against lush green plants. Its graceful swimming behavior and manageable size make it a favorite among aquascaping enthusiasts and community fish keepers alike.

What We Like About This Fish

• Intense red-orange coloration
• Beautiful centerpiece fish for planted aquariums
• Labyrinth fish capable of breathing atmospheric air
• Calm and graceful swimming behavior
• Suitable for community aquariums
• Ideal for aquascaped tanks

Recommended Tank Parameters

• Tank Size: Minimum 20 gallons (76 liters)
• Temperature: 23–28°C (74–82°F)
• pH Level: 6.0–7.5
• KH: 2–8 dKH
• Water Flow: Gentle to moderate
• Lighting: Moderate lighting with floating plant cover preferred

A heavily planted aquarium with shaded areas and calm water conditions will help the Red Robin Gourami display its best coloration and natural behavior.

Care Guidelines

• Diet: Omnivorous; accepts flakes, pellets, frozen foods, and live foods
• Social Behavior: Slightly aggressive; best kept singly or as a pair
• Origin: Captive-bred selectively bred color variant
• Average Adult Size: 7.5–10 cm (3–4 inches)
• Average Purchase Size: 5 cm (2 inches)
• Shrimp Safe: Generally compatible with adult shrimp, but shrimplets may be eaten

Natural Habitat and Aquarium Setup

Although the Red Robin Gourami is a captive-bred color variant, its parent species originates from the slow-moving ponds, marshes, and vegetated streams of India and Bangladesh. These habitats are rich in aquatic vegetation, leaf litter, and submerged roots, with warm water and very gentle flow.

To recreate these conditions, provide dense plant growth, floating plants, driftwood, and shaded resting areas. Floating plants such as Frogbit and Salvinia help diffuse lighting and create the calm surface environment that gouramis prefer.

Recommended Plants

• Java Fern
• Anubias
• Cryptocoryne
• Water Sprite
• Amazon Frogbit
• Salvinia

Recommended Hardscape

• Natural driftwood
• Smooth river stones
• Leaf litter
• Alder cones
• Indian Almond Leaves
• Catappa Bark

Tank Mates and Compatibility

The Red Robin Gourami is generally peaceful and compatible with many calm community fish, including:

• Small Tetras
• Rasboras
• Corydoras Catfish
• Peaceful Loaches
• Otocinclus Catfish
• Other non-aggressive community species

Avoid aggressive fish and fin nippers, which may stress the gourami or damage its fins.

Breeding

Red Robin Gouramis are bubble nest builders. Males create floating bubble nests among surface plants and will guard the nest after spawning. Successful breeding typically requires warm water, minimal water movement, floating vegetation, and a dedicated breeding setup.

Why Keep Red Robin Gouramis?

The Red Robin Gourami combines striking red coloration, elegant behavior, and adaptability into a beautiful aquarium fish. Whether used as a centerpiece in a planted aquascape or as part of a peaceful community aquarium, this species adds both color and personality. Its calm nature, unique breathing ability, and compatibility with a wide range of tank mates make it an excellent choice for aquarists of all experience levels.