Dwarf gourami Tank Mates
Short answer: the best dwarf gourami tank mates are Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly, Neon tetra, Platy. Dwarf gouramis need 72–81 °F (22–27 °C), pH 6–7.5 and at least 10 gallons.
Same species: Keep only one dwarf gourami (or one male) per tank — males fight, often to the death.
Dwarf gourami care at a glance
| Adult size | 3.5 in (9 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 10 US gallons |
| Temperature | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) |
| pH | 6–7.5 |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive |
| Swims in | Top |
| Group size | Keep one male per tank |
| Care level | Easy |
gallon tank
✅ Compatible tank mates (51)
- Guppy
- Bristlenose pleco
- Harlequin rasbora
- Molly
- Neon tetra
- Platy
- Tiger barb
- Angelfish
- Nerite snail
- Amano shrimp
- Celestial pearl danio
- Chili rasbora
- Ember tetra
- Mystery snail
- Otocinclus
- Panda cory
- Black skirt tetra
- Bronze cory
- Cardinal tetra
- Cherry barb
- Glowlight tetra
- Kuhli loach
- Rummy nose tetra
- Serpae tetra
- Zebra danio
- Kribensis
- Swordtail
- Rainbow shark
- Red tail shark
- Siamese algae eater
- Common pleco
- Clown loach
- Pygmy cory
- Black neon tetra
- Bloodfin tetra
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
- Dwarf neon rainbowfish
- Forktail blue-eye
- Glass catfish
- Lemon tetra
- Peppered cory
- Sterbai cory
- X-ray tetra
- Buenos Aires tetra
- Congo tetra
- Gold barb
- Odessa barb
- Rosy barb
- Upside-down catfish
- Firemouth cichlid
- Bolivian ram
⚠️ Possible with caution (8)
- Cherry shrimp — Dwarf gourami will eat baby cherry shrimp (and some individuals hunt adults), so a shrimp colony may not grow. Dense plants and moss help.
- Endler's livebearer — Dwarf gourami is a much larger territorial fish and may bully Endler's livebearer.
- Honey gourami — Gouramis and bettas often squabble with similar-looking labyrinth fish at the surface.
- Pearl gourami — Gouramis and bettas often squabble with similar-looking labyrinth fish at the surface.
- Discus — Very narrow shared temperature range: Discus 26–30 °C (79–86 °F) vs Dwarf gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F).
- Sparkling gourami — Dwarf gourami is a much larger territorial fish and may bully sparkling gourami.
- Chinese algae eater — Adult Chinese algae eater can latch onto other fish and rasp their slime coat.
- Bala shark — An adult bala shark (up to 35 cm) may try to eat smaller dwarf gourami (9 cm), especially at night.
❌ Not recommended (12)
- Betta fish — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
- Fancy goldfish — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Dwarf gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F) vs Fancy goldfish 20–23 °C (68–73 °F).
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat dwarf gourami (9 cm).
- Pea puffer — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
- German blue ram — No comfortable shared temperature: Dwarf gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F) vs German blue ram 27–30 °C (81–86 °F).
- White cloud mountain minnow — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Dwarf gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F) vs White cloud mountain minnow 14–22 °C (57–72 °F).
- Three spot gourami — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
- Electric yellow cichlid — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for dwarf gourami.
- Paradise fish — No comfortable shared temperature: Dwarf gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F) vs Paradise fish 10–22 °C (50–72 °F).
- Convict cichlid — Convict cichlid is aggressive and much larger than dwarf gourami; it will bully or injure it.
- Boesemani rainbowfish — No comfortable shared temperature: Boesemani rainbowfish 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Dwarf gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F).
- Jack Dempsey — An adult Jack Dempsey (up to 25 cm) is big enough to eat dwarf gourami (9 cm).
How many dwarf gouramis per tank?
10 gal 20 gal 29 gal 40 gal 55 gal 75 gal — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.
FAQ
What fish can live with dwarf gouramis?
Good matches include Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly, Neon tetra, Platy. They share a temperature range with dwarf gouramis (72–81 °F (22–27 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.
What fish should not live with dwarf gouramis?
Avoid Betta fish, Fancy goldfish, Oscar, Pea puffer, German blue ram, White cloud mountain minnow.
What size tank do dwarf gouramis need?
We recommend at least 10 US gallons for one dwarf gourami, more if you add tank mates.
Can dwarf gouramis live alone?
Yes. Keep only one dwarf gourami (or one male) per tank — males fight, often to the death.
Note: Compatibility depends on individual temperament, tank size, decor and how fish are introduced. Our verdicts use conservative rules applied to published care data (see methodology). They are guidance, not a guarantee. Quarantine new fish and watch for chasing, torn fins or hiding.