Tank mates for sparkling gouramis

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

Good tank mates for sparkling gouramis include betta fish, cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami and bristlenose pleco. Avoid angelfish, common goldfish and fancy goldfish: angelfish can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Sparkling gouramis: 24–28°C (75–82°F), pH 6–7.5, adult size 3.8 cm (1.5 in), minimum tank 10 gallons (38 L). Full sparkling gourami care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (83)

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

Caution Possible, with care (38)

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

  • Neon tetra · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Panda corydoras · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Tiger barb · 29+ gal
    • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like sparkling gouramis.
  • Zebra danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Blood parrot cichlid may eat sparkling gouramis, especially young or small ones.
    • Blood parrot cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller sparkling gouramis.
    • Blood parrot cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase sparkling gouramis, which use the same area.
  • Celestial pearl danio · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Clown loach grows much larger than sparkling gouramis and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Denison barb · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Discus · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 28–28°C).
  • Firemouth cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Firemouth cichlid may eat sparkling gouramis, especially young or small ones.
    • Firemouth cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller sparkling gouramis.
  • German blue ram · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 27–28°C).
  • 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 is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller sparkling gouramis.
  • Peppered corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller sparkling gouramis.
  • Red-tail shark · 75+ gal
    • Red-tail shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller sparkling gouramis.
  • 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.
  • Silver dollar · 75+ gal
    • Silver dollar may eat sparkling gouramis, especially young or small ones.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Three spot gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller sparkling gouramis.
  • Buenos Aires tetra · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like sparkling gouramis.
  • Bumblebee catfish · 20+ gal
    • Bumblebee catfish may eat sparkling gouramis, especially young or small ones.
  • Crystal red shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Kissing gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller sparkling gouramis.
    • Kissing gourami grows much larger than sparkling gouramis and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Odessa barb · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Panda garra · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Paradise fish · 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.
    • Paradise fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller sparkling gouramis.
  • 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).
  • Serpae tetra · 20+ gal
    • Serpae tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like sparkling gouramis.
  • Turquoise rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • 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).
  • Pearl danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • 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 (28)

  • Angelfish: Angelfish can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Common goldfish: They need different temperatures: Sparkling gourami 24–28°C (75–82°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F). Common goldfish can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Fancy goldfish: They need different temperatures: Sparkling gourami 24–28°C (75–82°F), fancy goldfish 18–23°C (64–73°F).
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bala shark: Bala shark can eat sparkling 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 sparkling gouramis.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful sparkling gouramis.
  • Dojo loach: They need different temperatures: Sparkling gourami 24–28°C (75–82°F), dojo loach 18–23°C (64–73°F).
  • Electric blue acara: Electric blue acara can eat sparkling 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. Sparkling gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful sparkling gouramis.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful sparkling 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. Sparkling gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Pictus catfish: Pictus catfish can eat sparkling 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 sparkling 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. Sparkling gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • White cloud mountain minnow: They need different temperatures: Sparkling gourami 24–28°C (75–82°F), white cloud mountain minnow 16–22°C (61–72°F).
  • African butterfly fish: African butterfly fish can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful sparkling 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. Sparkling gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat sparkling 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. Sparkling gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Golden wonder killifish: Golden wonder killifish can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Green terror: Green terror can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful sparkling gouramis.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful sparkling gouramis.
  • Ropefish: Ropefish can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Severum: Severum can eat sparkling 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. Sparkling gouramis don't belong in that setup.
  • Tinfoil barb: Tinfoil barb can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with sparkling gouramis?

Good tank mates for sparkling gouramis include betta fish, cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami and bristlenose pleco. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat sparkling gouramis.

Can sparkling gouramis live with angelfish?

No. Angelfish can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller sparkling gouramis.

Can sparkling gouramis live with bettas?

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

Can sparkling gouramis live with bristlenose plecos?

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

Can sparkling 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.