Can sparkling gouramis live with firemouth cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Sparkling gouramis and firemouth cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small sparkling gouramis as food, especially at night.

Sparkling gourami72–82°F · pH 6–7.5

Firemouth cichlid75–86°F · pH 6.5–8

What to watch

Watch outA grown firemouth cichlid may treat small sparkling gouramis as food, especially at night.

What works

Both are fine at 75–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: sparkling gouramis the top, firemouth cichlids 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	Firemouth cichlid
Temperature	72–82 °F	75–86 °F
pH	6–7.5	6.5–8
Adult size	1.5 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Top	Bottom
Group	Groups of 4+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for sparkling gouramis

All sparkling gourami tank mates

Better tank mates for firemouth cichlids

All firemouth cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can sparkling gouramis live with firemouth cichlids?

Yes, with care. Sparkling gouramis and firemouth cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small sparkling gouramis as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both sparkling gouramis and firemouth cichlids?

75–82 °F. Sparkling gouramis need 72–82 °F, firemouth cichlids need 75–86 °F.

What size tank do sparkling gouramis and firemouth cichlids need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the firemouth cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.