Gouramis, or Paradise fish, are beautiful fish. There are 133 known species of gouramis to choose from, many of which are very popular and commonly seen in the hobby. Although you can usually find these wonderful aquarium fish for sale in your local fish store, you can often discover rarer and more unusual species for sale online.
Read this guide to find out the best places to buy beautiful Gourami fish online!
7 Best Places To Buy Gourami Fish Online
Here are our seven favorite online places where you can buy different varieties of Paradise fish online.
Petco
- Monthly offers
- US-based
- Online and terrestrial stores
Petco is a pet store that also sells a wide selection of fish. You’ll find branches of Petco in most large cities, and you can also order online with confidence.
They have a reasonable choice of different species of gouramis, including the unusual Pearl Balloon gourami that you don’t generally find in most local stores. Fish are delivered the next day, and if there are any problems with the condition of your fish when they arrive, Petco will replace them for you, no problem.
Live Aquaria
- Huge selection of gouramis
- Based in Wisconsin, US
- Online store
Live Aquaria has a huge range of different gourami fish species, including Pearl gouramis, all at reasonable prices to suit most budgets.
This well-established retailer of live pet fish also carries fresh plants, general aquarium supplies, and fish foods. Live Aquaria offers an “Arrive Alive” guarantee and a 7-day returns policy in the unlikely event that you have a problem with your order.
The website also features a useful blog and resource center with articles on fishkeeping, aquascaping, breeding, and more.
The iFISH Store
- Excellent quality gourami fish
- Based in New York, US
- Online only
iFISH.com is an online-only store that’s been supplying top-quality, beautiful pet fish species to hobbyists for over 20 years. You can expect excellent service, and the seller offers a live arrival guarantee for your peace of mind. Note that iFISH.com currently only supplies fish to continental US locations.
There are lots of pictures of beautiful gouramis on the website. The range of gourami fish species and betta fish offered is impressive, and you’re sure to find fish in whatever color, form, and size you want for your setup.
You’ll also find plenty of useful compatibility guides and other information on the website.
Arizona Aquatic Gardens
- Impressive selection
- Based in Arizona
- Online store
AZ Gardens offers a nice choice of some of the more unusual gourami types that are seldom seen in your local high street fish store, including Blue Paradise fish. Prices are reasonable, and delivery charges are in line with other online suppliers.
As well as pet fish, you can buy pretty much everything that you’ll need for your aquarium from this online store, including plants, food, and equipment.
Aquabid.com
- Buy and sell gouramis on this auction platform
- US-based
- Online auction site
If you want the thrill of buying your gouramis from an auction, Aquabid.com is where it’s at!
Aquabid.com is like eBay for aquarists, and you can buy and sell all kinds of favorite fish, fish food, plants, and other aquarium sundries on this platform. The site is extremely user-friendly, and the processes of buying and selling are simple.
However, I would urge caution when using Aquabid.com. Many of the commercial fish farms and sellers that use this platform are based in Asia, specifically Thailand. That can be a problem when it comes to shipping, and there can also be quarantine issues in some regions of the US. So, before you start bidding, double-check with your local authority what the rules are that govern the importing of livestock.
AquariumFish.net
- Huge selection of rare varieties
- US-based
- Online only
If you’re looking to add a few rare and unusual varieties of the gourami family of fish, including Albino Paradise fish to your collection, AquariumFish.net is the online store for you!
Many of these fish are extremely unusual, including the Ornate Tail Licorice gourami and Chocolate Samurai gourami fish, which you almost never see for sale elsewhere. Every fish for sale on the site has its own web page packed with information to help you make the right choice and understand how to care for the fish before you receive it.
You can also order plants and other supplies here.
That Pet Place
- Lots of choices
- Based in Lancaster, PA, US
- Online and terrestrial retail store
That Pet Place sells supplies for all kinds of pets, including fish for breeding. They have an online fish business and a store in Lancaster, PA.
Here, you’ll find a nice selection of popular gourami species at reasonable prices. You can also buy food, plants, and other fish-related equipment and sundries. The site features fish blogs, informational articles, videos, and coupons.
What Are Gourami Fish?
Gouramis are one of several labyrinth fish varieties, including the Helostomatidae, Osphronemidae, and Anabantidae families of fishes.
These Paradise fish are sometimes referred to as labyrinth fish. Like betta fish, gouramis have a labyrinth organ that enables them to breathe air at the water surface. In fact, gouramis cannot derive all the dissolved oxygen that they need from the water, and they need to breathe atmospheric air.
These magnificent fish are famous for their array of colors and color patterns, making a dazzling addition to a peaceful aquatic community.
Natural Habitat
Gouramis come from eastern and southern Asia, ranging from Pakistan through Vietnam, Thailand, China, and the Malaysian Archipelago, and north to Japan and Korea.
Thanks to the gourami’s labyrinth organ, the fish are able to live in swamps, slow-moving rivers, canals, marshy areas, wetlands, and temporary stagnant puddles and pools.
What Do Gouramis Eat?
Most gourami fish are omnivorous tropical fish, eating eggs, insects, and larvae. However, the Kissing gourami is herbivorous, grazing on algae and plant matter.
In captivity, you can feed your gouramis on high-quality tropical fish flake food, algae wafers, spirulina flakes, and homemade fish food, as well as frozen meaty protein. You can also feed live foods, such as baby brine shrimp, provided that you can obtain the food from a reputable source.
How Many Gouramis Should Be Kept Together?
Male gouramis can be aggressive fish, especially if female fish are present in the tank. However, you can keep female gourami fish together in small groups, and, generally, a group of female gouramis does fine when kept in company with one male. That said, I once kept a small group of male Dwarf gouramis together without incident.
You can mix gouramis of different species, such as Blue Dwarf gourami and Flame Dwarf gourami in one tank, as long as the aquarium is spacious and well-decorated. Remember that three-spot, blue, lavender, gold, and opaline gouramis are the same species – they are just different color varieties!
Small Paradise fish species, including the Croaking gourami and Dwarf gourami, can be kept in a 10-gallon tank. Larger species need at least a 30-gallon aquarium.
What Fish Are Good With Gouramis?
Gouramis are slow swimmers that do best with species of fish of a similar size that are not too active. Fin nippers and aggressive bullies should be avoided.
Compatible tank mates for gouramis include:
As with any community of fish, you need to research each species to be sure that they all need the same or similar habitat and water requirements and will get on well together.
Also, if the fish all eat the same basic diet, you’ll save yourself some cash, too.
Are Gouramis Okay On Their Own?
Gouramis prefer to live in small groups, as described above, and you can also keep Paradise fish in pairs.
If you keep one male or female fish might become stressed. Stress weakens the fish’s immune system, leaving the gourami open to attack by parasites and bacteria.
What Is The Most Aggressive Gourami?
Most gouramis are peaceful creatures that can make a good addition to a community setup.
However, of all the gourami species, the Blue or Three-spot gourami doesn’t have the mellow temperament of other gourami fish. Individual fish tend to demonstrate varying degrees of aggressive temperament and belligerence, and some can be quite rough with their tank mates.
Once the Blue gourami reaches its full size, you should keep them with other fishes of a similar size or slightly larger and make sure that you provide plenty of space in the aquarium so that the fish can avoid each other if they want to.
How Much Does A Gourami Fish Cost?
Most gourami fish retail for upward of $5, but they can go for much more than that, depending on the species of fish and its rarity.
Is It Safe To Buy Gourami Fish Online?
Yes, these days, buying tropical fish online is commonplace among fish keepers. In fact, the popularity of online shopping has grown massively since the Covid pandemic hit. However, do remember to check that the website you’re using to buy your gouramis has a secure payment platform.
Well-established commercial tropical fish breeders use shipping companies that are very experienced in packing and transporting fish worldwide. The fish usually arrive healthy and in good condition. However, most reputable online suppliers over an “Arrive Alive” guarantee will replace any fish that don’t make it or refund you the purchase price.
In Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed our guide to buying gorgeous gourami fish online. Please take a moment to share this article if you found the information helpful.
Buying fish online from reputable suppliers, such as those we’ve featured in this guide, is generally reliable and safe, provided that you use a website with secure payment facilities in place.
If you bought your gouramis online from one of the stores we’ve featured in our guide, tell us about your experience in the comments box below.
