Opaline Gourami Identification Guide
How to recognize the Opaline Gourami by its marbled, cloud-like blue-and-black pattern across the body.
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Key identification features
- A bred color strain of the blue (three spot) gourami showing a marbled, cloud-like pattern of silvery-blue and dark blue-black blotches
- Pattern is irregular and varies from fish to fish rather than forming discrete spots
- Retains the same deep, laterally compressed body shape as the wild-type form
- Long, thread-like pelvic fin filaments extending beneath the body
- Traces of the ancestral twin dark spots may still show faintly through the marbling on some individuals
- Males are slimmer with a pointed, extended dorsal fin; females have a shorter, rounded dorsal fin
Common look-alikes
- Gold gourami: the same species with a solid gold-yellow body and no marbled pattern
- Wild-type blue/three spot gourami: a fairly uniform blue-gray body with two clear round spots rather than diffuse marbling
Where you'll see one
The Opaline Gourami is an aquarium-bred color variety developed from stock originating in Southeast Asia; its wild-type ancestor inhabits swamps, ponds, and slow rivers across mainland and island parts of the region.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell an Opaline Gourami from a wild-type Blue Gourami?
The Opaline shows a diffuse marbled blue-black pattern covering the body, while the wild-type Blue Gourami has a fairly uniform blue-gray body with two distinct round dark spots.
How can I tell an Opaline Gourami from a Gold Gourami?
The Opaline has a marbled, mottled blue-and-black pattern, while the Gold Gourami is a solid, unpatterned gold-yellow color.