Can plecos live with blue gouramis?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Plecos and blue gouramis can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for blue gouramis.

Common pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Blue gourami72–82°F · pH 6–8

What to watch

Watch outPlecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for blue gouramis.

What works

Both are fine at 72–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: plecos the bottom, blue gouramis the top.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Common pleco	Blue gourami
Temperature	72–86 °F	72–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6–8
Adult size	15.0 in	5.0 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Top
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Herbivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Better tank mates for blue gouramis

All blue gourami tank mates

Questions

Can plecos live with blue gouramis?

Yes, with care. Plecos and blue gouramis can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for blue gouramis.

What temperature suits both plecos and blue gouramis?

72–82 °F. Plecos need 72–86 °F, blue gouramis need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do plecos and blue gouramis need together?

At least 125 gal, set by the common pleco. Add space for each extra fish.