Plants For Honey Gourami – A Complete Guide To Creating Their Natural

Written ByHoward Parker

So, you’ve fallen in love with the gentle, radiant honey gourami? It’s easy to see why. Their peaceful nature and beautiful golden-yellow hue make them a standout star in any community aquarium. But you’ve probably noticed they can be a bit shy, often hiding or seeming reserved.

You want to give them the best home possible, a place where they feel safe, confident, and can show off their amazing natural behaviors. I promise you, the secret to unlocking their true personality lies in creating the right environment. And that environment is a lush, green, planted aquarium.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about choosing the perfect plants for honey gourami. We’ll cover the incredible benefits, our top plant recommendations for every level of the tank, a step-by-step planting guide, and how to solve common problems. Let’s transform your tank into an oasis they’ll love!

Why a Planted Tank is Non-Negotiable for Happy Honey Gouramis

In the wild, honey gouramis (Trichogaster chuna) inhabit slow-moving rivers, ponds, and rice paddies in India and Bangladesh. These waters are choked with dense vegetation, floating plants, and submerged roots. Replicating this is the key to their well-being.

Understanding the benefits of plants for honey gourami is the first step. It’s not just about making the tank look pretty—it’s about providing for their fundamental biological needs.

  • Security and Shelter: Honey gouramis are naturally timid. A barren tank is a stressful environment for them. Dense plantings and floating cover give them places to hide and explore, making them feel secure enough to come out and show their true colors.
  • Natural Behavior and Enrichment: They love to investigate their surroundings, pecking at biofilm on leaves and weaving through stems. This mimics their natural foraging behavior and keeps them mentally stimulated.
  • Bubble Nesting Support: As labyrinth fish, honey gouramis build bubble nests at the water’s surface to breed. Floating plants and broad leaves provide the perfect anchor points and shelter for these delicate structures. Without them, they may struggle to nest successfully.
  • Superior Water Quality: Live plants are nature’s best filters. They absorb nitrates and other waste products from the water, helping to keep it clean and stable. They also release oxygen, which is vital for a healthy aquatic ecosystem.

The Best Plants for Honey Gourami: Our Top Picks

Ready to go shopping? The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert aquascaper or use high-tech CO2 injection. Honey gouramis thrive with low-maintenance, hardy plants. Don’t worry—these are perfect for beginners!

Here is our ultimate plants for honey gourami guide, broken down by their placement in the tank.

Essential Floating Plants for Shy Gouramis

If you only add one type of plant, make it a floating one. They are critical for making a honey gourami feel safe. They dim the harsh overhead light and provide that all-important surface cover for hiding and bubble nesting.

  • Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum): A fantastic choice with round, smooth leaves and long, dangling roots that provide great cover. It grows quickly, so be prepared to thin it out occasionally to allow light to reach plants below.
  • Red Root Floaters (Phyllanthus fluitans): These are simply stunning. In high light, their roots turn a deep, beautiful red. They stay relatively small and form a dense, protective mat on the surface.
  • Dwarf Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes): With its velvety, rosette-shaped leaves, this plant adds wonderful texture to the surface. Like Frogbit, its roots offer excellent shelter for both gouramis and any fry they might have.

Lush Mid-Ground Plants for Cover and Exploration

Mid-ground plants fill out the space, create visual depth, and give your gouramis a jungle gym to navigate through.

  • Anubias Nana (Anubias barteri var. nana): This is one of the hardiest aquarium plants on the planet. Its broad, dark green leaves are tough, and it thrives in low light. Pro Tip: Anubias is an epiphyte, meaning you should never bury its rhizome (the thick, horizontal stem) in the substrate. Instead, attach it to driftwood or a rock with super glue gel or fishing line.
  • Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus): Another nearly indestructible epiphyte. Its unique leaf shape adds great texture. Just like Anubias, attach its rhizome to hardscape rather than burying it. It’s a slow grower but incredibly rewarding.
  • Cryptocoryne Wendtii (Cryptocoryne wendtii): ‘Crypts’ are fantastic root-feeding plants that come in green, bronze, and red varieties. They stay relatively compact and are perfect for creating dense thickets in the mid-ground. They do best with a nutrient-rich substrate or root tabs.

Tall Background Plants to Complete the Oasis

These plants create a beautiful, living backdrop that makes the entire aquarium feel more natural and complete. They provide the final layer of security for your fish.

  • Vallisneria (Vallisneria spiralis): Often called ‘Jungle Val’, this plant grows long, ribbon-like leaves that can reach the top of the tank, creating a stunning curtain effect. It’s a fast grower and spreads by sending out runners.
  • Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis): This is a fast-growing stem plant with beautiful, lacy leaves. It’s excellent at soaking up excess nutrients and can be planted in the substrate or even left to float.
  • Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum): The ultimate beginner plant. It grows incredibly fast, can be planted or floated, and tolerates a wide range of conditions. It provides amazing cover for shy fish and fry.

Your Step-by-Step Plants for Honey Gourami Guide

Feeling inspired? Let’s get those hands wet! Following these plants for honey gourami best practices will ensure your new green additions get the best possible start.

  1. Choose Your Foundation: While many of these plants will thrive in plain sand or gravel, using a nutrient-rich substrate like aqua soil will give your rooted plants (like Cryptocorynes) a huge advantage. If you’re using inert sand, plan on adding root tabs near their base.
  2. Prepare Your Plants: This step is crucial! Always rinse new plants in clean, dechlorinated water. Carefully inspect them for any pest snails or their eggs. Trim away any brown or melting leaves with sharp scissors to encourage new, healthy growth.
  3. The Planting Process: Knowing how to plant for honey gourami success is easy once you know the plant type.
    • Floating Plants: This is the easiest part! Simply float them on the water’s surface. Done.
    • Rooted Plants (Crypts, Vallisneria): Use tweezers or your fingers to gently push the roots into the substrate. Make sure the crown of the plant (where the leaves meet the roots) is just above the substrate level.
    • Epiphytes (Anubias, Java Fern): Apply a small dab of super glue gel to the rhizome and hold it against a piece of driftwood or rock for 30 seconds. You can also tie it on loosely with cotton thread, which will dissolve over time.
  4. Aquascape for Happiness: Don’t just place plants randomly. Think like a gourami! Create dense thickets on the sides and back of the tank, leaving an open swimming area in the front-center for viewing and feeding. This design provides security while still allowing you to enjoy your beautiful fish.

Caring for Your Planted Gourami Tank

Once everything is planted, the ongoing care is simple. This basic plants for honey gourami care guide will keep your underwater garden lush and healthy.

Lighting Essentials

Honey gouramis do not like bright, intense light. A standard LED light on a timer for 6-8 hours per day is plenty. The floating plants you’ve added will do the heavy lifting by diffusing the light and creating the shady, dappled environment your gouramis crave.

Fertilization Basics

For a low-tech setup like this, you don’t need a complicated fertilization schedule. A weekly dose of a comprehensive liquid fertilizer (like Aquarium Co-Op’s Easy Green) will provide most of what your plants need. For heavy root feeders like Cryptocorynes, push a root tab into the substrate near their base every 3-4 months.

Water Parameters and Maintenance

Continue with your regular maintenance schedule. A weekly water change of 25-30% is ideal for replenishing trace minerals and keeping waste levels low. As your plants grow, trim any overgrown stems or dead leaves to keep the tank looking tidy and encourage bushier growth.

Troubleshooting Common Problems with Plants for Honey Gourami

Even with the best planning, you might run into a few hiccups. Don’t panic! Here are solutions to the most common problems with plants for honey gourami tanks.

Problem: My Plants are Melting!

This is especially common with Cryptocorynes. “Crypt melt” happens when the plant is adjusting to new water parameters. The existing leaves die off, but the root system is usually fine. Be patient. Do not uproot the plant. In a few weeks, you should see new leaves sprouting up. For other plants, melting can be a sign of nutrient deficiency, so ensure you’re dosing a good all-in-one fertilizer.

Problem: Algae is Taking Over!

Algae is caused by an imbalance—usually too much light, too many nutrients (from overfeeding), or not enough plant mass. The solution is to restore balance. Reduce your lighting period to 6 hours, make sure you’re not overfeeding your fish, and stay on top of water changes. Adding more fast-growing plants like Hornwort can help outcompete the algae for nutrients.

Problem: My Gourami is Still Hiding All the Time.

If your gourami is still shy after a few weeks, the answer is almost always “add more cover.” Don’t be afraid to let your floating plants cover 50-70% of the surface. Add another clump of Java Fern or a tall piece of driftwood. The more complex and cluttered the environment, the safer and more confident your honey gourami will feel.

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Plant Choices

As conscientious aquarists, we can make responsible choices. Creating sustainable plants for honey gourami habitats is easier than you think.

Consider purchasing tissue-cultured plants. These are grown in a sterile lab environment, guaranteeing they are free from pests, algae, and pesticides. This is an excellent eco-friendly plants for honey gourami option that protects your tank and the wider environment.

Another great practice is to connect with local aquarium clubs or hobbyists online. Trading plant clippings is a fantastic way to get new species for free, reduce your carbon footprint from shipping, and build a community with fellow fish keepers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Plants for Honey Gourami

Do honey gouramis eat plants?

No, you don’t have to worry! Honey gouramis are micropredators, eating tiny invertebrates and biofilm. They are considered completely plant-safe and will not damage or eat your aquatic plants.

Can I use artificial plants for my honey gourami?

You can, but live plants are vastly superior. They improve water quality and provide a more natural environment. If you must use artificial plants, choose soft, silk ones instead of hard plastic to avoid damaging your gourami’s delicate fins and feelers.

What’s the minimum tank size for a planted honey gourami tank?

A 10-gallon tank is the absolute minimum for a single honey gourami or a pair. However, a 20-gallon long tank is even better, as it provides more horizontal swimming space and more room to create a lush, densely planted environment.

How many plants do I need?

More is always better! Aim for at least 50-70% of your tank to be planted. This level of density is what truly provides the security and enrichment that honey gouramis need to thrive and show their best colors and behaviors.

Your Journey to a Thriving Oasis Begins Now

Creating a beautiful planted aquarium for your honey gouramis is one of the most rewarding projects in the fishkeeping hobby. It’s about so much more than just aesthetics; it’s about building a living, breathing ecosystem where your fish feel truly at home.

You now have the knowledge and a complete list of the best plants for honey gourami. You understand their needs, know which plants to choose, and have a step-by-step guide to get started.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun with it. Your honey gouramis will thank you for it by transforming from shy, reclusive fish into the confident, radiant centerpiece of your aquarium. Go forth and grow!

Howard Parker
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