Angelfish vs Dwarf Gourami

Pterophyllum scalare comparé à Trichogaster lalius

Taxonomy & Classification

Attribut	Angelfish	Dwarf Gourami
Nom scientifique	Pterophyllum scalare	Trichogaster lalius
Ordre	Cichliformes	Anabantiformes
Famille	Cichlidae	Osphronemidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Attribut	Angelfish	Dwarf Gourami
Longueur maximale	15,0 cm	9,0 cm
Poids maximum	0,03 kg	0,005 kg
Couleur	Silver to pale gold body with four bold black vertical bars including one through the eye; tall triangular dorsal and ventral fins are translucent silver; domesticated forms include gold, black, and marbled variants.	Males show brilliant alternating diagonal red-orange and iridescent turquoise-blue stripes across the flanks; dorsal and anal fins have red and blue streaking; throat and belly vivid electric blue.

Habitat & Environment

Attribut	Angelfish	Dwarf Gourami
Type d'eau	Freshwater	Freshwater
Plage de profondeur	—	—
Aire de répartition	Native to the Amazon River basin and associated river systems in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. Inhabits densely vegetated floodplain swamps, flooded igapó forests, and slow …	Native to the rivers and floodplains of West Bengal, Assam, Bangladesh, and parts of Pakistan. Found in densely vegetated slow streams, ponds, and flooded rice …
Habitat	Slow-moving rivers and flooded forests of the Amazon basin, particularly white-water and clear-water rivers. Warm water (24-30°C); inhabits areas with submerged vegetation and driftwood.	Slow-moving rivers, ponds, and ditches of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Shallow, warm, densely vegetated freshwater (22-28°C). Males highly territorial and build bubble nests among floating …

Aquarium Suitability

Attribut	Angelfish	Dwarf Gourami
Taille minimale de l'aquarium	190 L	40 L
Température	24-28	22-28
Plage de pH	6.0-7.5	6.0-7.5
Niveau d'entretien	Moderate	Easy
Tempérament	Semi-Aggressive	Peaceful

Cuisine & Edibility

Angelfish

Not consumed — a graceful ornamental cichlid valued for its triangular body shape and striking vertical banding; widely kept in freshwater community tanks.

Dwarf Gourami

Not consumed — popular ornamental labyrinth fish treasured in freshwater aquariums for its vivid red-and-blue striped coloration and calm temperament.

Species Overview

Angelfish

The freshwater angelfish is a majestic cichlid with a laterally compressed body and long, flowing dorsal and anal fins. Native to the Amazon basin, it has been selectively bred into numerous color varieties including marble, koi, and platinum.

Dwarf Gourami

The dwarf gourami is a brightly colored labyrinth fish native to the slow-moving waters of South Asia. Males build elaborate bubble nests at the surface for spawning. Its pelvic fins have evolved into long, thread-like feelers used to sense the environment.