Sparkling gourami tank mates

Good matches

59 of 98

The safest picks for sparkling gouramis are tiger barbs, corydoras and lemon tetras. Each match shares sparkling gouramis' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Small and timid. Best with other tiny, calm fish.

Temperature

72–82°F

pH

6–7.5

Temperament

Peaceful

Minimum tank

5 gal

With care

22

Avoid

17

Good tank mates

• Tiger barb72–81°F
• Corydoras72–79°F
• Lemon tetra72–82°F
• Guppy72–82°F
• Neon tetra72–79°F
• Kuhli loach75–82°F
• Congo tetra73–82°F
• Cherry barb73–81°F
• Honey gourami72–82°F
• Mystery snail72–82°F
• Black neon tetra73–81°F
• Harlequin rasbora72–80°F
• Otocinclus72–79°F
• Black skirt tetra72–80°F
• Amano shrimp72–80°F
• Serpae tetra72–79°F
• Ember tetra73–82°F
• GloFish tetra72–80°F
• Bolivian ram72–79°F
• Bamboo shrimp72–82°F
• Pencilfish75–82°F
• Yoyo loach75–82°F
• Glowlight tetra74–80°F
• Pygmy cory72–79°F
• Bristlenose pleco73–81°F
• Odessa barb72–79°F
• Celestial pearl danio72–79°F
• Upside down catfish72–79°F
• Dwarf gourami72–82°F
• Blue gourami72–82°F
• Rummy nose tetra75–82°F
• Panda cory72–77°F
• Clown pleco73–82°F
• Red tail shark72–79°F
• Chili rasbora75–82°F
• Apistogramma75–82°F
• Zebra loach73–79°F
• Cardinal tetra76–82°F
• Platy72–80°F
• Kribensis75–80°F
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish75–82°F
• Rosy barb72–77°F
• Ramshorn snail72–80°F
• Hatchetfish75–81°F
• Nerite snail72–78°F
• Crayfish72–77°F
• Glass catfish75–80°F
• Hillstream loach72–75°F
• Endler's livebearer72–82°F
• Gold barb72–75°F
• Zebra pleco79–82°F
• Boesemani rainbowfish75–82°F
• Swordtail72–79°F
• Pearl gourami77–82°F
• German blue ram80–82°F
• Zebra danio72–77°F
• Siamese algae eater75–79°F
• Assassin snail75–80°F
• Killifish72–77°F

Possible, with care

• Betta Bettas and sparkling gouramis are both labyrinth fish and tend to fight over the surface.
• Cherry shrimp Sparkling gouramis will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give cherry shrimp somewhere to hide.
• Ghost shrimp Sparkling gouramis will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give ghost shrimp somewhere to hide.
• Kissing gourami At 10 inches a kissing gourami can swallow a small sparkling gourami. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Bala shark At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small sparkling gourami. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• African dwarf frog African dwarf frogs eat slowly and nearly blind. Fast sparkling gouramis will take the food first, so target-feed them.
• Common pleco Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for sparkling gouramis.
• Electric blue acara A grown electric blue acara may treat small sparkling gouramis as food, especially at night.
• Rainbow shark A grown rainbow shark may treat small sparkling gouramis as food, especially at night.
• Severum At 8 inches a severum can swallow a small sparkling gourami. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Chinese algae eater Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for sparkling gouramis.
• Clown loach At 8 inches a clown loach can swallow a small sparkling gourami. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Firemouth cichlid A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small sparkling gouramis as food, especially at night.
• Tinfoil barb At 12 inches a tinfoil barb can swallow a small sparkling gourami. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Silver dollar Silver dollars grow to 6 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for sparkling gouramis.
• Koi At 24 inches a koi can swallow a small sparkling gourami. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Blood parrot At 8 inches a blood parrot can swallow a small sparkling gourami. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Dojo loach A grown dojo loach may treat small sparkling gouramis as food, especially at night.
• Molly Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.
• Discus They only share 82°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Electric yellow cichlid Different water: sparkling gouramis want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Peacock cichlid Different water: sparkling gouramis want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); sparkling gouramis need 72–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Pea puffer Pea puffers are aggressive and will bully peaceful sparkling gouramis.
• Angelfish An adult angelfish eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches sparkling gouramis do.
• Oscar An adult oscar eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches sparkling gouramis do.
• Bichir An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches sparkling gouramis do.
• Jack Dempsey An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches sparkling gouramis do.
• Elephant nose fish At 9 inches an elephant nose fish can swallow a 1.5-inch sparkling gourami whole.
• Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches sparkling gouramis do.
• Pictus catfish An adult pictus catfish eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches sparkling gouramis do.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); sparkling gouramis need 72–82°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful sparkling gouramis.
• Paradise fish Paradise fish and sparkling gouramis are both labyrinth fish and tend to fight over the surface.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); sparkling gouramis need 72–82°F. They meet only at 72°F, the edge of both ranges.
• African cichlid African cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful sparkling gouramis.
• Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches sparkling gouramis do.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); sparkling gouramis need 72–82°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Flowerhorn An adult flowerhorn eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches sparkling gouramis do.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the sparkling gourami care sheet.