Can sparkling gouramis live with plecos?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Sparkling gouramis and plecos 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 sparkling gouramis.

Sparkling gourami72–82°F · pH 6–7.5

Common pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 72–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: sparkling 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

	Sparkling gourami	Common pleco
Temperature	72–82 °F	72–86 °F
pH	6–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	1.5 in	15.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Top	Bottom
Group	Groups of 4+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for sparkling gouramis

All sparkling gourami tank mates

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Questions

Can sparkling gouramis live with plecos?

Yes, with care. Sparkling gouramis and plecos 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 sparkling gouramis.

What temperature suits both sparkling gouramis and plecos?

72–82 °F. Sparkling gouramis need 72–82 °F, plecos need 72–86 °F.

What size tank do sparkling gouramis and plecos need together?

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