🧳Transporting a Gourami: bagging, acclimatisation, moving
Gourami : Bag transport with a generous volume of air, essential since it breathes at the surface. Keep the bag warm and acclimate gently for 30 minutes.
In short: 8 to 12 cm as an adult depending on the species, 100 L minimum, water between 24 and 28 °C. Calm and composed but territorial between males, it enjoys a still surface and quiet tankmates. A labyrinth fish breathing air at the surface: a lid keeping warm, humid air above the water protects its breathing organ.
Bringing home or moving a Gourami
The bagging rule: double thickness, one-third tank water to two-thirds air, kept dark in a cool box that protects from swings away from its 24 to 28°C comfort zone. A trip under two hours needs nothing more.
Acclimatisation: the critical step
On arrival, float the bag 20 minutes to equalise temperature, then add tank water in small doses over 30 to 45 minutes, and release with a net without pouring bag water into the tank. In this species, a botched transfer is paid for in bouts of white spot disease in stressed fish. Keep the light unit off until the next day: a freshly arrived Gourami settles better in half-light.
Moving an entire aquarium
A house move takes planning: fish in bags or covered buckets, filter media kept damp and warm in a cool box (your bacteria are gold), plants in wet bags, and the tank restarted the same day with as much original water as possible. The tank itself travels EMPTY: glass stressed by a few leftover litres cracks at the first corner.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a Gourami handle transport?
A few hours easily in a proper bag, up to 24 hours in an oxygenated professional bag. Past two hours, protect the temperature above all.
How do you acclimatise a Gourami safely?
Float the bag 20 minutes, add tank water gradually over 30 to 60 minutes, release with a net, lights off the first day — and never pour bag water into the tank.
The guides that apply to you
- Bringing your fish home from the pet store: transport and acclimatisation done right
Bringing fish home from the pet store properly: a short, warm journey, the bag kept dark, then 30 to 45 minutes of drip acclimatisation. The complete method.
- Cold Shock in Transport: Winter's Underestimated Risk
A transport bag that cools quickly in a car or in the cold outdoors exposes a fish to cold shock. How to prevent it in winter.
- Buying Aquarium Fish by Mail Order: What to Check Before You Order
Ordering fish online for postal delivery exposes them to a much longer transport stress than a simple trip from the local pet store.
- Moving House With an Aquarium: How to Transport the Filter and Heater Without Crashing the Cycle
Draining the filter or letting it dry out during the trip kills off much of its nitrifying bacteria. How to keep the filter media wet and alive while moving house.