The pearl gourami (Trichopodus leerii) is a species of labyrinthiform fish that are popular in the aquarium trade due to their peaceful temperament and aesthetically pleasing coloration. Typically, this species is produced extensively in pond aquaculture; however, producers are making a shift toward intensive indoor recirculating aquaculture, which is usually dependent on costly Artemia nauplii as the primary larval feed. Three trials were conducted to develop larval rearing protocols for intensive aquaculture that prioritize minimizing the use of live feeds. First, digestive ontogeny was evaluated over a 68-day developmental trial using histology and digestive enzyme assays. Gastric gland formation and stomach development indicated digestive maturation at approximately 14–17 days post-hatch (DPH). Next, a 24-day dietetics trial was conducted to indicate which of three commercially available microdiets (MDs) yielded the highest larval survival and growth compared to a reference diet of Artemia spp. nauplii from first feeding (3 DPH). Larval survival was significantly reduced in all MD treatments compared to the Artemia reference diet (Figure 1). Although Otohime and Golden Pearl MDs resulted in comparable larval survival, Otohime was selected for the subsequent experiment because it offered greater cost-effectiveness. Lastly, a 30-day weaning trial was completed to determine at which timepoint MD should be introduced to maintain similar survival compared to an all-Artemia reference diet. MD was introduced 11, 14, 17, and 20 DPH with a three-day co-feeding period where larvae were fed 50% Artemia and 50% MD. Results from this trial were inconclusive, with no significant treatment differences and lower overall survival compared to the dietetics trial. These outcomes likely reflect batch-to-batch variability in egg quality. Further research is needed to improve survival and growth of T. leerii when weaned to microdiets to match those achieved with Artemia.