Thick-lipped Gourami Tank Mates

Thick-lipped Gourami is peaceful, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 145 freshwater species that pair well with a thick-lipped gourami — plus the 57 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

By The Aquarium DB Team • Updated June 7, 2026 • Full Thick-lipped Gourami care guide →
Best matches

The best tank mates for a thick-lipped gourami

  • Ember Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Neon Green Rasbora ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Ramshorn Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Red Lip Nerite Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Dawn Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2.5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Nerite Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2.5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Assassin Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Endler's Livebearer ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Glowlight Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Gold Ring Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Malaysian Trumpet Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 21–27 °C (70–81 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Neon Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Tail-spot Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Trinidad Guppy ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 19–24 °C (66–75 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Pygmy Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3.2 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Glowlight Rasbora ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3.5 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Blue Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 21–26 °C (70–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Emperor Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Flame Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Glowlight Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Golden Dwarf Barb ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Phoenix Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Red Phantom Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Rosy Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
With caution

Thick-lipped Gourami tank mates that can work with care

  • Afra Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Different pH ranges (6.5–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • African Butterfly Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Thick-lipped Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Altifrons Geophagus ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Altifrons Geophagus is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Thick-lipped Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Thick-lipped Gourami may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
  • Amazon Puffer ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Angelfish ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Angelfish clearly outsizes Thick-lipped Gourami and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
  • Angelicus Synodontis ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    Angelicus Synodontis clearly outsizes Thick-lipped Gourami and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.

+ 130 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with a thick-lipped gourami

  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 9 cm Thick-lipped Gourami whole.
  • Fire Eel ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 9 cm Thick-lipped Gourami whole.
  • Koi ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
  • Spotted Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Size gap is too large (90 vs 9 cm): Spotted Gar will treat Thick-lipped Gourami as food.
  • Wolf Cichlid ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.

+ 49 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against a thick-lipped gourami

Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a thick-lipped gourami, with the reasoning for each verdict.

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Thick-lipped Gourami?

We compare each fish against your thick-lipped gourami on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.

  • Badis✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Banded Dwarf Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Black Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Bolivian Ram✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Brilliant Rasbora✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Brilliant Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Burmese Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Celebes Rainbowfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Celebes Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Costa's Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Costa's Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Croaking Gourami✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Gold Barb✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7.5 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Gold Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Hongsloi Dwarf Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Molly✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Murray River Rainbowfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 11 cm · Easy care · 15–26 °C (59–79 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Murray River Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Peacock Gudgeon✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Peppered Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Rio Negro Checkerboard Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Splashing Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Splashing Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Sumo Loach✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Afra Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6.5–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Expect Afra Cichlid to harass Thick-lipped Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Afra Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Thick-lipped Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Bandit Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Expect Bandit Cichlid to harass Thick-lipped Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Bandit Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bearded Corydoras⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Bearded Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Brichardi Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6.5–7.5 vs 7.8–9); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Brichardi Cichlid and Thick-lipped Gourami are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add thick-lipped gourami in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Rasbora⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Clown Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Convict Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 10 cm · Easy care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
    • Expect Convict Cichlid to harass Thick-lipped Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Daffodil Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    • pH preferences only just meet (Thick-lipped Gourami 6.5–7.5 vs Daffodil Cichlid 7.8–9) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
    • Daffodil Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Thick-lipped Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Demasoni Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 9 cm · Hard care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6.5–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Demasoni Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Thick-lipped Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Demasoni Cichlid in a shoal of 12+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Electric Yellow Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6.5–7.5 vs 7.8–8.9); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Expect Electric Yellow Cichlid to harass Thick-lipped Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Giant Danio⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 20–27 °C (68–81 °F)
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Giant Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Lifalili Jewel Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Expect Lifalili Jewel Cichlid to harass Thick-lipped Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Mexican Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · Easy care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
    • Expect Mexican Tetra to harass Thick-lipped Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Mexican Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Silver Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Zebra Loach⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
    • Alligator Gar clearly outsizes Thick-lipped Gourami and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 9 cm Thick-lipped Gourami whole.
    • Clown Knifefish clearly outsizes Thick-lipped Gourami and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
    • Expect Fire Eel to harass Thick-lipped Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Koi⛔ Not recommended
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 9 cm Thick-lipped Gourami whole.
    • Redtail Catfish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Thick-lipped Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Size gap is too large (90 vs 9 cm): Spotted Gar will treat Thick-lipped Gourami as food.
    • Spotted Gar is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Thick-lipped Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    • Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
    • Wels Catfish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Thick-lipped Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Thick-lipped Gourami is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.
    • Expect Wolf Cichlid to harass Thick-lipped Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.

Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.

Setting up a thick-lipped gourami community tank

Give the group a stable, planted 75 L+ tank with a gentle filter, a reliable heater and plenty of cover — broken sight lines and hiding spots let mid-water and bottom dwellers keep out of each other's way. Cycle it fully and stock gradually.

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How to choose

How to choose the right tank mates for a thick-lipped gourami

As a peaceful species, thick-lipped gourami is easily bullied — favour other calm, non-nippy fish and steer clear of boisterous or aggressive tank mates. It mostly occupies the middle of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Thick-lipped Gourami grows to about 9 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 5 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 22–28 °C (72–82 °F), pH 6.5–7.5 and 4–15 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Thick-lipped Gourami doesn't need its own kind to feel secure; think twice before keeping more than one if it is territorial. Whatever you add, introduce new fish slowly, watch for bullying in the first days, and have a backup plan if temperaments clash.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can a thick-lipped gourami live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 145 compatible freshwater species for thick-lipped gourami. Pick calm, similarly-sized fish that share its water needs and add them to a mature, well-planted tank.

What is the best tank mate for a thick-lipped gourami?

Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Ember Tetra, Neon Green Rasbora, Ramshorn Snail. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.

What fish should you avoid keeping with a thick-lipped gourami?

Avoid Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar, Redtail Catfish and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.

How big a tank do thick-lipped gourami tank mates need?

Start from Thick-lipped Gourami's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 75 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.

← Back to the full Thick-lipped Gourami care guide