Giant Gourami

Q: Can you eat Giant Gourami?

Firm, white flesh with a mild flavor and moderate fat; a major food fish across Southeast Asia. Popular deep-fried, grilled with spices, or steamed in Indonesian and Thai cuisines.

Q: How big does Giant Gourami get?

Giant Gourami can grow up to 70.0 cm long and weigh 9.0 kg.

Q: Is Giant Gourami good for aquariums?

Giant gourami has a moderate care level, a peaceful temperament, requires a minimum tank size of 800 liters.

Q: Where is Giant Gourami found?

Native to large rivers, lakes, and swamps of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and mainland Southeast Asia. Introduced across tropical Asia for food; tolerates slightly brackish water in lowland estuarine areas near river mouths. Native to Indonesia and Southeast Asia; introduced throughout tropical Asia. Inhabits warm, slow-moving rivers, ponds, and swamps (24-30°C). Can breathe air using a labyrinth organ. Popular food fish

Q: Is Giant Gourami endangered?

The conservation status of Giant Gourami is Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List.

Q: What family does Giant Gourami belong to?

Giant Gourami (Osphronemus goramy) belongs to the family Osphronemidae (Gouramis) in the order Anabantiformes (Labyrinth fishes).

Abstract

Despite reaching 70 cm and 9 kg, Osphronemus goramy feeds chiefly on aquatic plants. The labyrinth organ shared by its family allows it to breathe air directly, suiting the warm, slow rivers, ponds and swamps of Sumatra, Java, Borneo and mainland Southeast Asia where it is native; it also tolerates slightly brackish water in lowland estuarine reaches. Juveniles are yellow-olive with dark bands, maturing to greyish-silver with a convex forehead. Firm white flesh of mild flavour has made it a major food fish across Southeast Asia, deep-fried, grilled with spices or steamed. Its docile temperament also sustains a trade in large aquarium specimens. The IUCN Red List assesses the species as Least Concern.