9 Great Tank Mates for Pearl Gouramis (With Pictures)

Pearl Gourami are a joy to look at and quite easy to take care of. This makes them extremely popular. They’re also hardy and won’t cause much trouble. They are quite peaceful and spend most of their time just hanging out.

These fish don’t typically need a huge tank. If you’re planning on keeping them with tank mates, though, you should plan on getting a bigger tank than they’d need by themselves.

Due to their relatively docile nature, the Pearl Gourami can get along with quite a few different fish. They do best with fish that aren’t aggressive, as they won’t pick fights in most cases. You can pair them with both small and large fish, as long as the other species aren’t predatory or nippy.

The 9 Tank Mates for Pearl Gouramis

1. Panda Corydoras

These little armored catfish are peaceful and docile, which makes them great tank mates for these equally peaceful fish. The Panda Corydoras also prefers similar water values to the Gourami, so they are a naturally suitable fit. These fish also prefer the bottom layer, so they will spend most of their time completely out of the other fish’s way.

While nearly any Cory will do, we prefer the Panda variation because their black-and-white pattern makes them interesting to look at and adds a bit of life to your tank. You will need to fix the substrate to suit these fish, but they don’t need much extra care besides that.

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2. Kuhli Loach

Nearly all of the Pangio genus would make good tank mates for most docile fish. They are unobtrusive and keep to themselves. As bottom feeders, they inhabit a different part of the tank from Gourami, so they often won’t come into contact with them at all.

These fish are nocturnal, so they may not be the most entertaining options for your aquarium. However, they may add a bit of interest at night. Their different sleep cycle also helps ensure that they don’t get in the way of other fish. They spend the day hiding in caves and similar spaces.

When you keep them in larger groups, they can be quite entertaining. We recommend having at least eight in an aquarium to observe their normal social behavior. They will pile up in their hiding places during the day and zoom around the tank at night.

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3. Glowlight Tetra

This schooling fish is perfect for any tank that needs a bit of action. They are peaceful, but their bright color and interesting behavior make them extremely entertaining. This particular species isn’t as brightly colored as some others. This prevents them from seeing Gouramis as potential rivals, limiting aggressive behaviors.

These fish will appreciate a bit of cover, so be sure to provide plenty of plants. They enjoy similar water parameters to the Gourami, making them suitable tank mates. We recommend keeping them in groups of at least eight to witness their true behavior. Since they inhabit another water layer, your Gourami shouldn’t mind the extra fish.

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4. Ember Tetra

These tetras have slightly different coloration and will add a splash of color to your fish tank. Unlike the Glowlight Tetra, these are significantly less active. They are schooling fish, which makes them quite interesting to watch. However, they won’t upset other fish quite as much due to their laidback nature.

They prefer similar water values to the Gourami, so you won’t have to do a complicated balancing act. Be sure to add plenty of plants for coverage. Floating plants are highly recommended.

The Ember Tetras prefer larger schools of fish. Eight is the absolute minimum. However, we recommend aiming for 12 or more. Larger groups will be more peaceful and exhibit more interesting breeding behavior, often leading to spawning without any effort from you. Some fry may even make it to adulthood if there is plenty of plant coverage available.

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5. Otocinclus Catfish

We highly recommend the Otocinclus catfish because they are peaceful and efficient algae eaters. If you’re looking for a fish to keep your tank clean, you can’t beat this catfish. However, they are a bit more difficult to care for and don’t enjoy even slightly aggressive tank mates. It is best if you have some fishkeeping experience before purchasing these fish.

We recommend having at least five of these fish in an aquarium. However, this is usually too many to maintain with natural algae. Therefore, you will have to supplement their food with algae wafers and blanched veggies.

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6. Mystery Snail

Snails are a fun and easy addition to any aquarium. They get along with most fish because they don’t tend to invade the swimming space. We recommend the Mystery Snail because they are a bit small and won’t eat your plants. Plant cover is important for Gourami, so we don’t recommend getting a snail that will clear it out.

Like most snails, the Mystery Snail is completely docile. They mind their own business and won’t bother any other fish. They are also able to withstand a few nips from Gourami or other curious fish. They are bottom feeders and will clean up any leftover food, which makes them a productive member of your aquarium.

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7. Cherry Barbs

Most Barbs are typically not good options for community tanks. They tend to be active and nippy. However, the Cherry Barb is much more docile than most of their cousins. They are peaceful and mostly mind their own business. Their bright color also makes them an interesting addition to any tank.

This species enjoys similar water values to Gouramis. They are also quite adaptable, so they can get used to a wide range of different parameters if necessary.

These are schooling fish, so you will need to keep at least eight in your aquarium to enjoy their natural behaviors.

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8. Amano Shrimp

If you’re looking for shrimp to add to your tank, we highly recommend the Amano Shrimp. They are large enough to avoid being nipped or eaten, which makes them more suitable for a community tank. They are also docile, so they shouldn’t upset any of the peaceful fish in your aquarium. They tend to mind their own business and roll with the punches.

These shrimp are also extremely easy to take care of. They will likely need supplemental food in the form of blanched veggies and algae wafers, though, as an aquarium is often “too clean” to support these shrimp on natural algae alone. They also only produce in brackish water, so you don’t have to worry about suddenly having multiple shrimp.

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9. Bristlenose Pleco

Like most smaller catfish varieties, the Bristlenose Pleco isn’t that active. They tend to spend most of their time at the bottom of the tank or attached to the glass. They don’t swim around much and shouldn’t bother other fish.

While these fish are quite small, we recommend them for larger tanks only. They tend to produce quite a bit of waste, and this can seriously harm the water parameters of smaller tanks. It takes a large amount of water to keep their waste in check.

They make the perfect tank mates for Gourami, though, especially the larger varieties.

What Makes a Good Tank Mate for the Pearl Gourami?

Pearl Gouramis are decently peaceful and mostly keep to themselves. However, they are also larger than other Gourami variants. This can make choosing tank mates a bit complicated. Preferably, you want larger, peaceful fish, like the Bristlenose Pleco. These won’t bother your Gourami, but they also won’t be confused as a meal.

You can choose smaller species as long as you provide plenty of plant coverage. Gourami like plants, anyway. Floating plants are highly recommended, though you shouldn’t go overboard because Gourami are labyrinth fish, so they need access to air.

There are many fish that could make good tank mates for the Gourami. In general, any peaceful fish that enjoys similar water parameters will be a good option.

Where Do Pearl Gourami Prefer to Live in the Aquarium?

The Pearl Gourami is a labyrinth fish. This means they get their oxygen a bit differently than other fish. Their gills are poorly developed and cannot supply all their oxygen needs. Therefore, they have a special breathing organ that enables them to take in air as well. They will be seen “gulping” at the surface for this reason. This action is often described as “drinking” air.

For this reason, they will spend most of their time at the top of the tank. They cannot linger in the middle or bottom of the tank because they need access to air. They may occasionally wander to other areas of the tank, but they won’t stay there for extended periods of time.

Water Parameters

Caring for Pearl Gouramis is quite easy. These are low-maintenance fish that don’t require significant amounts of attention. As long as the water parameters are correct, these fish will thrive on their own. They also share preferred water parameters with many other species of fish, which is one reason that there are so many tank mates that you can possibly put them with.

The minimum tank size for these fish is 30 gallons. Some experienced fish keepers can get away with 20 gallons, but this is difficult and requires more attention. If you plan on keeping more than one fish, add 5–10 gallons per extra fish.

The water should be kept between 77 degrees Fahrenheit and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Preferably, the pH level should be between 6.5 to 8. The water hardness should be between 5 and 25 dH.

Size

Pearl Gouramis are on the larger end of the spectrum. They tend to reach between 4 and 5 inches, which makes them large for Gouramis. This doesn’t count the length of their ventral fins, just the body, so some fish may appear a bit larger than this.

There are many factors that can affect their size, such as sex and genetics. The level of care matters as well. They can become stunted if not properly cared for.

Aggressive Behaviors

These fish aren’t aggressive in the least, despite their larger size. They may occasionally become curious and nip at another fish, but this is rare. Most of the time, they simply swim around the top. These fish are only prone to aggression during the mating and breeding process. This usually only occurs in males, though females may act a bit unsettled as well.

The 2 Benefits of Having Tank Mates for Pearl Gourami in Your Aquarium

1. You can fill up the whole tank.

Pearl Gouramis spend most of their time at the top of the tank. Therefore, they typically won’t take up the whole tank. Adding other fish can help your aquarium seem more active.

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2. Choose bottom feeders to keep your tank clean.

Not only will bottom feeders stay out of your Gourami’s way, but they also will help keep your tank a bit cleaner.

Conclusion

Pearl Gouramis are much like other Gouramis. They tend to mind their own business and are docile. They spend most of their time at the top of the tank, so fish that prefer other areas of the tank are preferred as tank mates. They’ll simply stay out of your Gourami’s way.

There are dozens of potential tank mates that you can put with a Pearl Gourami. Anything that is docile is often a good choice for this fish.

See Also:

• 8 Best Tank Mates for Gourami
• Top 7 Blue Gourami Tank Mates (With Pictures)

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Featured Image Credit: NERYXCOM, Shutterstock