Can pearl gouramis live with plecos?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Pearl gouramis and plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like pearl gouramis and rasp their slime coat.

Pearl gourami77–82°F · pH 6–7.5

Common pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outPlecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like pearl gouramis and rasp their slime coat.
Watch outPlecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for 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: pearl gouramis the top, plecos the bottom.

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

	Pearl gourami	Common pleco
Temperature	77–82 °F	72–86 °F
pH	6–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	5.0 in	15.0 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Top	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for pearl gouramis

All pearl gourami tank mates

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Questions

Can pearl gouramis live with plecos?

Yes, with care. Pearl gouramis and plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like pearl gouramis and rasp their slime coat.

What temperature suits both pearl gouramis and plecos?

77–82 °F. Pearl gouramis need 77–82 °F, plecos need 72–86 °F.

What size tank do pearl gouramis and plecos need together?

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