Tank mates for pearl gouramis

We checked pearl gouramis against all 149 other species in our database for water temperature, pH, size, fin nipping, predation and aggression.

Good tank mates for pearl gouramis include nerite snail, guppy, bristlenose pleco, bronze corydoras, angelfish and assassin snail. Avoid betta fish, cherry shrimp and common goldfish: betta fish tends to attack colourful, long-finned fish like pearl gouramis, mistaking them for rivals.

Pearl gouramis: 24–28°C (75–82°F), pH 6–7.5, adult size 11.5 cm (4.5 in), minimum tank 29 gallons (110 L). Full pearl gourami care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (78)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

Caution Possible, with care (48)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

  • Dwarf gourami · 15+ gal
    • Dwarf gourami sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
    • Dwarf gourami defends its patch of the tank and may chase pearl gouramis, which use the same area.
  • Neon tetra · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Oscar · 75+ gal
    • Oscar may eat pearl gouramis, especially young or small ones.
    • Oscar is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pearl gouramis.
  • Panda corydoras · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Zebra danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Zebra danio sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Amano shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Pearl gourami hunts shrimp. Larger amano shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Black skirt tetra · 20+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Celestial pearl danio · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Clown loach sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Denison barb · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Denison barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Discus · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 28–28°C).
  • German blue ram · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 27–28°C).
  • Ghost shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Pearl gourami hunts shrimp. Larger ghost shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kribensis · 29+ gal
    • Kribensis sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Peppered corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Pictus catfish · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Rosy barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Senegal bichir · 90+ gal
    • Senegal bichir sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
    • Senegal bichir is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pearl gouramis.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Three spot gourami sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
    • Three spot gourami defends its patch of the tank and may chase pearl gouramis, which use the same area.
  • Yoyo loach · 75+ gal
    • Yoyo loach sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • African butterfly fish · 29+ gal
    • African butterfly fish defends its patch of the tank and may chase pearl gouramis, which use the same area.
  • Bamboo shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Pearl gourami hunts shrimp. Larger bamboo shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Black phantom tetra · 20+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Bleeding heart tetra · 29+ gal
    • Bleeding heart tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Bloodfin tetra · 20+ gal
    • Bloodfin tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Diamond tetra · 20+ gal
    • Diamond tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Dwarf chain loach · 29+ gal
    • Dwarf chain loach sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Pearl gourami may attack small crustaceans like dwarf orange crayfish, especially after they molt.
    • Dwarf orange crayfish sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Gardneri killifish · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Giant danio · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Giant danio sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Gold barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Odessa barb · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Odessa barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Panda garra · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Penguin tetra · 20+ gal
    • Penguin tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Rubber lip pleco · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Scissortail rasbora · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Swordtail · 29+ gal
    • Swordtail sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Thai micro crab · 5+ gal
    • Pearl gourami may attack small crustaceans like Thai micro crabs, especially after they molt.
  • Turquoise rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Vampire shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Pearl gourami hunts shrimp. Larger vampire shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Zebra loach · 29+ gal
    • Zebra loach sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Black ruby barb · 20+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Checkerboard barb · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Glowlight danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • Glowlight danio sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Pearl danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Pearl danio sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Silvertip tetra · 20+ gal
    • Silvertip tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Variatus platy · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.

Avoid Bad tank mates (23)

  • Betta fish: Betta fish tends to attack colourful, long-finned fish like pearl gouramis, mistaking them for rivals.
  • Cherry shrimp: Pearl gourami eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
  • Common goldfish: They need different temperatures: Pearl gourami 24–28°C (75–82°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F).
  • Fancy goldfish: They need different temperatures: Pearl gourami 24–28°C (75–82°F), fancy goldfish 18–23°C (64–73°F).
  • Tiger barb: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of pearl gouramis.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pearl gouramis.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pearl gouramis.
  • Dojo loach: They need different temperatures: Pearl gourami 24–28°C (75–82°F), dojo loach 18–23°C (64–73°F).
  • Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pearl gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pearl gouramis.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of pearl gouramis. Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pearl gouramis. Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pearl gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pearl gouramis. Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pearl gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • White cloud mountain minnow: They need different temperatures: Pearl gourami 24–28°C (75–82°F), white cloud mountain minnow 16–22°C (61–72°F).
  • Buenos Aires tetra: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of pearl gouramis.
  • Crystal red shrimp: Pearl gourami eats small shrimp like crystal red shrimp.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pearl gouramis. Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pearl gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pearl gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Green terror: Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pearl gouramis.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pearl gouramis.
  • Paradise fish: Paradise fish tends to attack colourful, long-finned fish like pearl gouramis, mistaking them for rivals.
  • Serpae tetra: Serpae tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of pearl gouramis.
  • Shell dweller cichlid: Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pearl gouramis don't belong in that setup.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with pearl gouramis?

Good tank mates for pearl gouramis include nerite snail, guppy, bristlenose pleco, bronze corydoras, angelfish and assassin snail. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat pearl gouramis.

Can pearl gouramis live with angelfish?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–28°C (75–82°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can pearl gouramis live with bettas?

No. Betta fish tends to attack colourful, long-finned fish like pearl gouramis, mistaking them for rivals. Betta fish defends its patch of the tank and may chase pearl gouramis, which use the same area.

Can pearl gouramis live with bristlenose plecos?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–26°C (75–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can pearl gouramis live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–26°C (75–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

How we decide: we compare each pair's comfortable temperature, pH and hardness ranges, adult sizes, mouth size (who can eat whom), fin nipping, aggression and territory. Read the full method. Data last reviewed 2026-10-13.