Tank mates for honey gouramis

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

Good tank mates for honey gouramis include cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, neon tetra, panda corydoras and bristlenose pleco. Avoid betta fish, common goldfish and oscar: betta fish tends to attack colourful, long-finned fish like honey gouramis, mistaking them for rivals.

Honey gouramis: 23–27°C (73–81°F), pH 6–7.5, adult size 5 cm (2 in), minimum tank 10 gallons (38 L). Full honey gourami care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (79)

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

Caution Possible, with care (41)

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

  • Angelfish · 29+ gal
    • Angelfish may eat honey gouramis, especially young or small ones.
    • Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller honey gouramis.
  • Dwarf gourami · 15+ gal
    • Dwarf gourami sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
    • Dwarf gourami defends its patch of the tank and may chase honey gouramis, which use the same area.
  • Fancy goldfish · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 23–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Zebra danio · 20+ gal
    • Zebra danio sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Black skirt tetra · 20+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Blood parrot cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller honey gouramis.
  • Boesemani rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–27°C).
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Clown loach sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
    • Clown loach grows much larger than honey gouramis and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Denison barb · 75+ gal
    • Denison barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Dojo loach · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 23–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Firemouth cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Firemouth cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller honey gouramis.
  • German blue ram · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 27–27°C).
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 23–24°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 honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller honey gouramis.
  • Red-tail shark · 75+ gal
    • Red-tail shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller honey gouramis.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 23–24°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 honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Three spot gourami sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
    • Three spot gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller honey gouramis.
    • Three spot gourami defends its patch of the tank and may chase honey gouramis, which use the same area.
  • Yoyo loach · 75+ gal
    • Yoyo loach sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • African butterfly fish · 29+ gal
    • African butterfly fish may eat honey gouramis, especially young or small ones.
    • African butterfly fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller honey gouramis.
    • African butterfly fish defends its patch of the tank and may chase honey gouramis, which use the same area.
  • Black phantom tetra · 20+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Bleeding heart tetra · 29+ gal
    • Bleeding heart tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Bloodfin tetra · 20+ gal
    • Bloodfin tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Crystal red shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 23–24°C).
  • Diamond tetra · 20+ gal
    • Diamond tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Dwarf chain loach · 29+ gal
    • Dwarf chain loach sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 23–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Dwarf orange crayfish sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Giant danio · 55+ gal
    • Giant danio sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 23–24°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 honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Golden wonder killifish · 20+ gal
    • Golden wonder killifish may eat honey gouramis, especially young or small ones.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Kissing gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller honey gouramis.
    • Kissing gourami grows much larger than honey gouramis and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Odessa barb · 20+ gal
    • Odessa barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Penguin tetra · 20+ gal
    • Penguin tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Swordtail · 29+ gal
    • Swordtail sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Zebra loach · 29+ gal
    • Zebra loach sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Zebra pleco · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–27°C).
  • Black ruby barb · 20+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Glowlight danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 23–24°C).
    • Glowlight danio sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Pearl danio · 20+ gal
    • Pearl danio sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Silvertip tetra · 20+ gal
    • Silvertip tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Variatus platy · 15+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.

Avoid Bad tank mates (29)

  • Betta fish: Betta fish tends to attack colourful, long-finned fish like honey gouramis, mistaking them for rivals.
  • Common goldfish: They need different temperatures: Honey gourami 23–27°C (73–81°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F).
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat honey 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 honey gouramis.
  • Bala shark: Bala shark can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful honey gouramis.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful honey gouramis.
  • Discus: They need different temperatures: Honey gourami 23–27°C (73–81°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
  • Electric blue acara: Electric blue acara can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • 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. Honey gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful honey gouramis.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of honey gouramis. Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful honey 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. Honey gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Pictus catfish: Pictus catfish can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful honey 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. Honey gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • White cloud mountain minnow: They need different temperatures: Honey gourami 23–27°C (73–81°F), white cloud mountain minnow 16–22°C (61–72°F).
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Buenos Aires tetra: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of honey gouramis.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful honey 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. Honey gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. 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. Honey gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Green terror: Green terror can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful honey gouramis.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful honey gouramis.
  • Paradise fish: Paradise fish tends to attack colourful, long-finned fish like honey gouramis, mistaking them for rivals.
  • Ropefish: Ropefish can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Serpae tetra: Serpae tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of honey gouramis.
  • Severum: Severum can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • 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. Honey gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Tinfoil barb: Tinfoil barb can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with honey gouramis?

Good tank mates for honey gouramis include cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, neon tetra, panda corydoras and bristlenose pleco. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat honey gouramis.

Can honey gouramis live with angelfish?

Sometimes, with care. Angelfish may eat honey gouramis, especially young or small ones. Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller honey gouramis.

Can honey gouramis live with bettas?

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

Can honey gouramis live with bristlenose plecos?

Yes. They share similar water needs (23–26°C (73–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can honey gouramis live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (23–26°C (73–79°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.