Can jack dempseys live with pearl gouramis?

Verdict

No. Jack dempseys and pearl gouramis should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey is twice the size of a pearl gourami and will hunt or batter a slow, long-finned fish like this.

Jack Dempsey72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Pearl gourami77–82°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerAn adult jack dempsey is twice the size of a pearl gourami and will hunt or batter a slow, long-finned fish like this.
Deal breakerJack dempseys are aggressive and will bully peaceful pearl gouramis.

What works

Both are fine at 77–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: jack dempseys the mid, pearl 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

	Jack Dempsey	Pearl gourami
Temperature	72–86 °F	77–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	10.0 in	5.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Top
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for jack dempseys

CrayfishYes

All jack dempsey tank mates

Better tank mates for pearl gouramis

All pearl gourami tank mates

Questions

Can jack dempseys live with pearl gouramis?

No. Jack dempseys and pearl gouramis should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey is twice the size of a pearl gourami and will hunt or batter a slow, long-finned fish like this.

What temperature suits both jack dempseys and pearl gouramis?

77–82 °F. Jack dempseys need 72–86 °F, pearl gouramis need 77–82 °F.

What size tank do jack dempseys and pearl gouramis need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the jack dempsey. Add space for each extra fish.