Can hatchetfish live with kissing gouramis?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Hatchetfish and kissing gouramis can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 10 inches a kissing gourami can swallow a small hatchetfish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

Hatchetfish75–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

Kissing gourami72–82°F · pH 6–8

What to watch

Watch outAt 10 inches a kissing gourami can swallow a small hatchetfish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What works

Both are fine at 75–81°F.
pH 6–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: hatchetfish the top, kissing gouramis the mid.

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

	Hatchetfish	Kissing gourami
Temperature	75–81 °F	72–82 °F
pH	5.5–7.5	6–8
Adult size	1.5 in	10.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Top	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for hatchetfish

All hatchetfish tank mates

Better tank mates for kissing gouramis

All kissing gourami tank mates

Questions

Can hatchetfish live with kissing gouramis?

Yes, with care. Hatchetfish and kissing gouramis can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 10 inches a kissing gourami can swallow a small hatchetfish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What temperature suits both hatchetfish and kissing gouramis?

75–81 °F. Hatchetfish need 75–81 °F, kissing gouramis need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do hatchetfish and kissing gouramis need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the kissing gourami. Add space for each extra fish.