Honey gourami Tank Mates
Short answer: the best honey gourami tank mates are Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly, Neon tetra, Platy. Honey gouramis need 72–81 °F (22–27 °C), pH 6–7.5 and at least 20 gallons.
Honey gourami care at a glance
| Adult size | 2.2 in (5.5 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 20 US gallons |
| Temperature | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) |
| pH | 6–7.5 |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Swims in | Top |
| Group size | Can be kept singly or in pairs |
| Care level | Easy |
gallon tank
✅ Compatible tank mates (52)
- Guppy
- Bristlenose pleco
- Harlequin rasbora
- Molly
- Neon tetra
- Platy
- Tiger barb
- Nerite snail
- Amano shrimp
- Celestial pearl danio
- Chili rasbora
- Ember tetra
- Endler's livebearer
- 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
- Pearl gourami
- Swordtail
- Rainbow shark
- Red tail shark
- Siamese algae eater
- Common pleco
- Clown loach
- Pygmy cory
- Sparkling gourami
- 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
- Bolivian ram
⚠️ Possible with caution (8)
- Cherry shrimp — Honey gourami will eat baby cherry shrimp (and some individuals hunt adults), so a shrimp colony may not grow. Dense plants and moss help.
- Betta fish — Gouramis and bettas often squabble with similar-looking labyrinth fish at the surface.
- Dwarf gourami — Gouramis and bettas often squabble with similar-looking labyrinth fish at the surface.
- Angelfish — An adult angelfish (up to 15 cm) may try to eat smaller honey gourami (5.5 cm), especially at night.
- Three spot gourami — An adult three spot gourami (up to 15 cm) may try to eat smaller honey gourami (5.5 cm), especially at night.
- Discus — Very narrow shared temperature range: Discus 26–30 °C (79–86 °F) vs Honey gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F).
- Firemouth cichlid — An adult firemouth cichlid (up to 15 cm) may try to eat smaller honey gourami (5.5 cm), especially at night.
- Chinese algae eater — Adult Chinese algae eater can latch onto other fish and rasp their slime coat.
❌ Not recommended (11)
- Fancy goldfish — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Fancy goldfish 20–23 °C (68–73 °F) vs Honey gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F).
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat honey gourami (5.5 cm).
- Pea puffer — Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful honey gourami.
- German blue ram — No comfortable shared temperature: German blue ram 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Honey gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F).
- White cloud mountain minnow — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Honey gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F) vs White cloud mountain minnow 14–22 °C (57–72 °F).
- 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 honey gourami.
- Paradise fish — No comfortable shared temperature: Honey gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F) vs Paradise fish 10–22 °C (50–72 °F).
- Convict cichlid — Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully peaceful honey gourami.
- Boesemani rainbowfish — No comfortable shared temperature: Boesemani rainbowfish 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Honey gourami 22–27 °C (72–81 °F).
- Jack Dempsey — An adult Jack Dempsey (up to 25 cm) is big enough to eat honey gourami (5.5 cm).
- Bala shark — An adult bala shark (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat honey gourami (5.5 cm).
How many honey gouramis per tank?
20 gal 29 gal 40 gal 55 gal 75 gal — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.
FAQ
What fish can live with honey gouramis?
Good matches include Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly, Neon tetra, Platy. They share a temperature range with honey 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 honey gouramis?
Avoid Fancy goldfish, Oscar, Pea puffer, German blue ram, White cloud mountain minnow, Electric yellow cichlid.
What size tank do honey gouramis need?
We recommend at least 20 US gallons for one honey gourami, more if you add tank mates.
Can honey gouramis live alone?
Yes. Honey gouramis do not need a group, though they can be kept with compatible tank mates.
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.