Here's a complete and detailed guide to the Albino Giant Gourami (Osphronemus goramy – albino variety), including everything you need to know about care, size, behavior, diet, tank setup, compatibility, and more. 🐟✨

🐟 Albino Giant Gourami (Osphronemus goramy) – Full Guide

📌 Overview

👁️ Appearance

• ⚪ Color: White to light pink body due to lack of melanin (albino)

• 👁️ Eyes: Pink/red from underlying blood vessels

• 🐟 Body: Large, oval, and deep-bodied with strong jaws

• 🦷 Lips: Thick lips with visible jaw lines

• 🐋 Size: One of the largest true freshwater aquarium fish (commonly 18–24 inches!)

🧠 Behavior & Temperament

🛑 Caution: As they grow, they may become territorial and bully or eat smaller tankmates.

🏠 Tank Requirements

🥗 Diet

Albino Giant Gouramis are omnivorous and have a huge appetite.

✅ Ideal Diet:

• 🥬 Vegetables: Blanched spinach, lettuce, peas, zucchini, carrots

• 🐛 Protein: Earthworms, bloodworms, mealworms, shrimp, insects

• 🐟 Fish-based pellets: High-quality sinking or floating pellets

• 🍚 Fruits (occasionally): Banana, watermelon, or grapes (small amounts)

• 🪵 Some chew on wood (for fiber)

⚠️ Feeding Tips:

• Feed 1–2x daily

• Remove uneaten food to avoid fouling

• Overfeeding can lead to obesity or fatty liver

🧑🤝🧑 Tankmates

✅ Good Choices (same size or larger, robust species):

• 🌊 Large Catfish (Plecos, Iridescent Shark, Pictus)

• 🐟 Silver Dollars

• 🐠 Large Barbs (Tinfoil Barbs)

• 🐊 Other large Gouramis (if space allows)

• 🐢 Some keepers even keep them with turtles (risky, not recommended)

❌ Avoid:

• 🐟 Small community fish (they will get eaten)

• 🐡 Aggressive cichlids (e.g., Flowerhorn, Midas)

• 🦐 Shrimp or snails (food, not friends)

• 🐠 Long-finned fish (nipping risk)

⚠️ Note: Tankmate success depends heavily on individual personality and tank size.

🐣 Breeding

Breeding Albino Giant Gouramis in home aquariums is very rare and extremely challenging.

• 🧬 Sexing: Males have pointed dorsal fins; females are rounder

• 🏠 Requires enormous tank (200–300+ gallons)

• 🪺 Build bubble nests like other gouramis

• 🐣 Parental care: Male guards nest, but may become aggressive

Almost all Albino Giant Gouramis in the trade are farm-bred.

⚕️ Health & Common Issues

✅ Prevent by:

• High-quality, varied diet

• Frequent water changes

• Strong biological filtration

• Monitoring for aggression/injury

🧠 Fun Facts

• 🧠 Extremely intelligent fish — can recognize their owners and follow them!

• 💕 Some owners claim they show affection and bond with humans

• 🌬️ They are labyrinth fish, meaning they breathe atmospheric air

• 🎨 Albino is a color morph — same species as standard Giant Gourami

• 📏 Can grow to the size of a small dog — not for small tanks!

📊 Quick Facts Summary

⚠️ Beginner Warning

Although beautiful and interesting, Albino Giant Gouramis are not suitable for beginner aquarists due to their:

• 👹 Huge size

• 🍽️ Heavy food demands

• 🧹 High waste output

• 😈 Territorial behavior as they age

• 🏗️ Massive tank requirements

They are best kept by experienced aquarists with the space and budget to care for them long-term.

IMAGES ARE FOR REPRESENTATIVE PURPOSES ONLY.