Thick-lipped gourami care guide

Plan a tank with thick-lipped gouramisSee all tank mates

Thick-lipped gourami quick facts

• Long fins attract fin nippers.

Tank setup

One or a few thick-lipped gouramis need at least a 20-gallon long tank (76 L), about 30 in (75 cm) long. Plant it well and add floating plants, since this fish likes shade and cover. Keep the filter flow gentle. Cover the tank so the air above the water stays warm and humid for its surface breathing.

How many thick-lipped gouramis in a tank?

The smallest common tank that suits thick-lipped gouramis is a 20 gallon long. Here is roughly how many fit in each size when they are the only fish, based on adult size and waste output. Leave room if you want tank mates.

Numbers are bioload limits only. Males fight, so keep one male unless the tank is large and well planned.

Water parameters

Aim for 23–27 °C (73–81 °F), pH 6.0–7.5 and soft to medium-hard water (about 4–12 dGH). Farm-bred fish handle most clean tap water. Do partial water changes every week and avoid sudden swings.

Best tank mates for thick-lipped gouramis

These popular species share thick-lipped gouramis' water needs and temperament. See the full list of 83 good matches.

• Nerite snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Guppy

  5 cm (2 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Neon tetra

  3.5 cm (1.4 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)

• Panda corydoras

  4.5 cm (1.8 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)

• Bristlenose pleco

  12 cm (4.7 in) · 22–26°C (72–79°F)

• Bronze corydoras

  7 cm (2.8 in) · 21–26°C (70–79°F)

• Angelfish

  15 cm (5.9 in) · 24–29°C (75–84°F)

• Assassin snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

Avoid keeping thick-lipped gouramis with

• Betta fish: Betta fish tends to attack colourful, long-finned fish like thick-lipped gouramis, mistaking them for rivals.
• Cherry shrimp: Thick-lipped gourami eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
• Common goldfish: They need different temperatures: Thick-lipped gourami 23–27°C (73–81°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F).
• Oscar: Oscar can eat thick-lipped gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Tiger barb: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of thick-lipped gouramis.
• Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful thick-lipped gouramis.

Feeding

It eats almost any food. Use a good flake or micro pellet as the base, then add frozen or live bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp several times a week. Some plant-based flake keeps the diet balanced.

Behavior

This is one of the gentlest gouramis. Fish raised together from a young age tend to get along for years, though males may spar if space is tight, so keep more females than males. Good tank mates include rasboras, danios, small peaceful barbs, tetras, loaches and corydoras. Avoid fin nippers that chew its thread-like feelers, and don't keep it with banded gouramis, because the two cross-breed.

Breeding

Males are larger and more colorful, with a pointed dorsal fin, while females are plainer and rounder. The male builds a bubble nest in a shallow, still, planted tank and guards the 500 or more eggs. Take the female out after spawning and the male once the fry swim. Feed the fry infusoria or liquid fry food first, then baby brine shrimp.

Tips from experienced keepers

• Buy a few young fish together and include more females than males for a calm group.
• Don't house it with banded gouramis. The two species hybridize.
• Keep fin nippers like tiger barbs away from its long, thread-like feelers.
• A gold form is sold as the sunset gourami. Check the scientific name, because honey gouramis are sold under that name too.
• Small shrimp such as cherry shrimp are likely to be eaten, so keep them in a separate tank.

Sources

We checked these references when writing this page. Values are for healthy long-term keeping, not survival limits. Last reviewed 2026-10-13. See our editorial policy.

• seriouslyfish.com
• fishbase.se
• fishkeeper.co.uk
• en.wikipedia.org