Three spot gourami are known to change color (their black spots will fade) when under high stress or when they are not kept under good conditions. Healthy fish have two vivid black spots on each side of their bodies, but these fade with age. Selectively bred varieties most commonly available in the aquarium trade are opaline (or opal) (with a marbled pattern), platinum (or silver) (whitish), blue, golden (or gold) (xanthochromistic), and lavender (or amethyst) (the result of crossing a blue and golden, having a purple coloration). Three spot gourami The three spot gourami ("Trichopodus trichopterus"), also known as the opaline gourami, blue
Three spot gourami its body in line together with the eye being considered as the third spot. It is also known as "hairfin gourami" (from its specific name "trichopterus") or "two-spot gourami" (in Malaysia). Variety names include "opal" or "opaline gourami" (or "Cosby gourami") for varieties with a marbled pattern, "blue gourami" for the blue morph, "gold" or "golden gourami" for the yellow morph, "platinum gourami" for the white morph, and "lavender (or "amethyst") gourami" for the result morph of crossing a blue and gold. Three spot gourami are native to standing or slow-moving freshwater habitats in southeastern Asia, ranging from Yunnan (China),