Pearl gourami Tank Mates
Short answer: the best pearl gourami tank mates are Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly, Platy, Tiger barb. Pearl gouramis need 75–86 °F (24–30 °C), pH 5.5–8 and at least 30 gallons.
Pearl gourami care at a glance
| Adult size | 4.7 in (12 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 30 US gallons |
| Temperature | 75–86 °F (24–30 °C) |
| pH | 5.5–8 |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Swims in | Top |
| Group size | Can be kept singly or in pairs |
| Care level | Easy |
gallon tank
✅ Compatible tank mates (37)
- Guppy
- Bristlenose pleco
- Harlequin rasbora
- Molly
- Platy
- Tiger barb
- Angelfish
- Amano shrimp
- Mystery snail
- Black skirt tetra
- Bronze cory
- Cherry barb
- German blue ram
- Honey gourami
- Kuhli loach
- Rummy nose tetra
- Kribensis
- Swordtail
- Discus
- Rainbow shark
- Red tail shark
- Siamese algae eater
- Common pleco
- Clown loach
- Bloodfin tetra
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
- Dwarf neon rainbowfish
- Forktail blue-eye
- Glass catfish
- Lemon tetra
- Sterbai cory
- Buenos Aires tetra
- Congo tetra
- Upside-down catfish
- Firemouth cichlid
- Boesemani rainbowfish
- Bolivian ram
⚠️ Possible with caution (18)
- Cherry shrimp — Pearl 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.
- Neon tetra — Very narrow shared temperature range: Neon tetra 21–25 °C (70–77 °F) vs Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F).
- Nerite snail — Very narrow shared temperature range: Nerite snail 22–25 °C (72–77 °F) vs Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F).
- Otocinclus — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) may try to eat smaller otocinclus (4 cm), especially at night.
- Panda cory — Very narrow shared temperature range: Panda cory 22–25 °C (72–77 °F) vs Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F).
- Cardinal tetra — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) may try to eat smaller cardinal tetra (3.5 cm), especially at night.
- Glowlight tetra — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) may try to eat smaller glowlight tetra (4 cm), especially at night.
- Serpae tetra — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) may try to eat smaller serpae tetra (4.5 cm), especially at night.
- Zebra danio — Very narrow shared temperature range: Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F) vs Zebra danio 18–25 °C (64–77 °F).
- Three spot gourami — Gouramis and bettas often squabble with similar-looking labyrinth fish at the surface.
- Sparkling gourami — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) may try to eat smaller sparkling gourami (4 cm), especially at night.
- Black neon tetra — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) may try to eat smaller black neon tetra (4 cm), especially at night.
- X-ray tetra — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) may try to eat smaller X-ray tetra (4.5 cm), especially at night.
- Odessa barb — Very narrow shared temperature range: Odessa barb 16–25 °C (61–77 °F) vs Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F).
- 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 pearl gourami (12 cm), especially at night.
❌ Not recommended (16)
- Fancy goldfish — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Fancy goldfish 20–23 °C (68–73 °F) vs Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F).
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat pearl gourami (12 cm).
- Pea puffer — Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful pearl gourami.
- Celestial pearl danio — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) is big enough to eat celestial pearl danio (2.5 cm).
- Chili rasbora — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) is big enough to eat chili rasbora (2 cm).
- Ember tetra — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Endler's livebearer — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) is big enough to eat Endler's livebearer (3 cm).
- White cloud mountain minnow — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °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 pearl gourami.
- Pygmy cory — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) is big enough to eat pygmy cory (3 cm).
- Paradise fish — No comfortable shared temperature: Paradise fish 10–22 °C (50–72 °F) vs Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F).
- Peppered cory — No comfortable shared temperature: Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F) vs Peppered cory 20–24 °C (68–75 °F).
- Convict cichlid — Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully peaceful pearl gourami.
- Gold barb — No comfortable shared temperature: Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F).
- Rosy barb — No comfortable shared temperature: Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F) vs Rosy barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Jack Dempsey — Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully peaceful pearl gourami.
How many pearl gouramis per tank?
40 gal 55 gal 75 gal — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.
FAQ
What fish can live with pearl gouramis?
Good matches include Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly, Platy, Tiger barb. They share a temperature range with pearl gouramis (75–86 °F (24–30 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.
What fish should not live with pearl gouramis?
Avoid Fancy goldfish, Oscar, Pea puffer, Celestial pearl danio, Chili rasbora, Ember tetra.
What size tank do pearl gouramis need?
We recommend at least 30 US gallons for one pearl gourami, more if you add tank mates.
Can pearl gouramis live alone?
Yes. Pearl 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.