We received our 4 gouramis around a month ago. One was very pale at first but now they are all a saturated, gorgeous brown with very pronounced stripes. We had no trouble with shipping or acclimating once they got here. All 4 are doing so well!!! These guys pack a ton of personality in their little striped bodies. They are my new fav fish for sure!

Chocolate Gouramis are one of those fish that are infamous for being delicate. They are difficult to find, difficult to acclimate, difficult to get them to feed, shy to the point of never being seen, and heartbreaking to lose. Perhaps it is because local fish stores don't stress the importance of getting them in a group large enough to reduce their stress, or because they are kept in display tanks barren of hiding places with too much current.

I took a chance and ordered a quartet from AquaHuna. All four survived the 72-hour trip and looked good upon arrival. The four fish looked well-fed, not a skinny one in the group. I was very concerned it might take days to get them to accept food, but the following morning they had colored up and all four accepted frozen brine with little hesitation.

Chocolate gouramis swim in a manner not that different from freshwater puffers, slow and deliberate, their eyes searching in all directions for prey and predator. Like puffers, this movement makes them seem a bit smarter than the average fish. I point this out because the four I received were robust enough that within the first week when I approached their quarantine tank they seemed to recognize it meant feeding time. Their appetite has continued to grow, and they appear to be watching for me to enter the room, as they are always looking in the direction of the door when I peek in.

These are the most robust Chocolate Gouramis I have purchased.

I wish these were more readily available since I have one in a 29 gallon tank and I'd like to give him company otherwise it's a great fish that gets people's attention when family comes over and sees him