Since gouramis are considered to be very popular fish, you might be thinking about adding some to your aquarium soon. They’re definitely pretty and there are many different gourami fish types to consider.
Before buying the fish, you’ll want to learn what you can about them. For example, you might want to learn about whether gouramis can live together or not.
There’s a lot that you need to consider such as whether gouramis can live in groups or if you’re able to mix different species of gouramis. You never want to blindly add fish to your aquarium without having a good understanding of them.
Continue reading so that you can get the information that you need. Once you’ve gathered the necessary information, you’ll understand how to best care for the gouramis and keep them safe in your aquarium.
Can Dwarf Gouramis Live Together?
Dwarf gouramis can certainly live together. In fact, it’s a lot more common to take care of a pair of dwarf gouramis than it is to simply keep one in a fish tank.
It’s good to know that dwarf gouramis are generally considered to be peaceful fish. These fish have peaceful temperaments and should get along with each other fairly well.
This isn’t necessarily the case when you’re talking about two male dwarf gouramis, though. You’ll learn about that a bit later.
Just know that dwarf gouramis are good fish to keep in pairs or small groups. These fish will also be great community fish tank members.
It’s very common for people to buy dwarf gouramis for community fish tanks. You’ll very likely love these fish if you decide to buy them.
Can You Keep Male and Female Dwarf Gourami Together?
Yes, male and female dwarf gouramis can live together. In fact, you’ll likely have a better experience if you choose to keep a male and a female together in your fish tank.
An interesting fact about gouramis is that the males are generally the most colorful. They wind up displaying their colors better if they have a female around that they wish to impress.
Thus, it’s very common for people to buy at least one gourami fish of each gender. The two fish should get along very well in your aquarium.
Sometimes males can stress the females when they want to mate, though. This is why some choose to keep multiple females with the male gourami fish.
This divides the attention of the male fish so that it won’t bug one female fish too much. It can be a good strategy for keeping all of the fish happy in your fish tank.
Can I Keep Two Male Dwarf Gouramis Together?
Keeping two male dwarf gouramis together is going to be a poor idea. You see, male gouramis are going to be aggressive toward each other.
These fish are hardwired to compete with each other. Males will get territorial and will try to fight.
Sometimes males will even wind up fighting so much that they will severely injure each other. It’s not impossible that two male gouramis will fight to the death.
Those who want to ensure that the fish tank remains peaceful should avoid putting multiple make gouramis together. Only one male dwarf gourami fish is needed in the tank.
Technically, you don’t even need to buy a male fish unless you specifically want the fish to breed. It’s common for people to want to own male gouramis because they’re more colorful, though.
Do Dwarf Gouramis Need to Be in Pairs?
It isn’t recommended to keep dwarf gouramis by themselves in fish tanks. Technically, the fish will be able to survive this way, but they won’t be as happy as they should be.
Dwarf gouramis are considered to be rather social fish. They’re used to living in pairs or in small groups.
Keeping one fish by itself in your aquarium would be an unusual situation. This is less than ideal and should be avoided.
Most people are going to choose to keep dwarf gouramis in pairs. Some will choose to keep them in small groups instead.
Either option is going to be viable. Just ensure that you do your best to meet the needs of the dwarf gouramis and all will be well.
Remember that you need to give the dwarf gouramis a fish tank that is large enough to accommodate them. The more fish that you plan to keep, the larger the fish tank should be.
Can a Gourami Live Alone?
No, you shouldn’t keep gourami fish alone. They’re meant to be kept in pairs or in small groups.
Gouramis aren’t considered to be schooling fish, but they do like to live in groups. As mentioned above, gouramis are social fish.
It would be considered to be cruel to keep one gourami all alone in a fish tank. This wouldn’t be a healthy life for the fish, and you wouldn’t want your gourami fish to live this way.
Ensure that you have enough space to take care of at least a pair of gouramis. It doesn’t matter if you want to care for a male and a female or two females.
Gouramis need to have friends in the fish tank. They won’t do well when they’re isolated.
Also, these fish generally like being members of community fish tanks. It’d be good to put a pair of gourami fish in a community tank setting.
Can Gourami Get Lonely?
Your gourami fish will get lonely if you try to keep it all alone in the aquarium. This is one of the reasons why it isn’t recommended to keep a single gourami by itself.
If you were to keep a gourami by itself in the aquarium, then it’d be very timid overall. The fish would likely become very shy and would just try to hide.
Some fish tank owners dispute this and say that they have kept gourami fish alone in tanks. They say that it’s fine to do this, but others suggest that this is wrong to do.
For the best experience, you should keep gouramis in pairs or small groups. It’s really the best route to take when you want the fish to be happy.
How Many Gourami Can You Keep Together?
Gouramis can definitely be kept in small groups. In fact, some experts recommend keeping gouramis in groups of four or more.
Many people even put six or more gouramis in the same fish tank. It really depends on how much room you have.
There are some things that you need to understand before proceeding, though. Firstly, it’s imperative to only keep one male gourami fish in the group.
Male gouramis simply don’t get along with each other very well. They wind up fighting a lot and they might even fight to the death.
Some types of gouramis won’t be quite so aggressive, but it’s best to avoid keeping two males in the same tank. If you want to keep a small group of gouramis in your fish tank, then it’s better to have only one male.
You actually don’t even need to have a male in the tank unless you really want one. Female gouramis get along with each other just fine.
Most people want to keep male gouramis in their aquariums because they’re more colorful. Females have much more muted and subdued colors than the males.
Can You Mix Gourami Species?
For the most part, it’s not recommended to keep multiple different types of gouramis in the same tank. Gouramis are going to be more aggressive toward other types of gouramis.
There are some peaceful types of gouramis that might be able to get along with certain other gouramis. However, it’s generally best not to put two types of gouramis in the same aquarium.
If you were to put two types of gouramis in the same fish tank, then you’d most likely wind up seeing the two groups fight. This could even lead to the less aggressive, smaller gouramis getting wiped out by the other group.
Some have had success keeping multiple different types of gouramis in the same tank, though. This is only possible when you have a very large fish tank.
If you have a very large aquarium and lots of decorations, then the gourami groups might be able to stay far away from each other. They can occupy different sections of the aquarium and things will be peaceful enough.
It isn’t always guaranteed that this will work, though. Many enthusiasts would say that it isn’t worth trying due to the risks.
Final Thoughts
After reading the information above, you’ll know everything that you need to know about whether gouramis can live together. It’s normal for these fish to be kept in pairs or small groups.
Most agree that keeping gouramis in fish tanks alone won’t be the best course of action. These fish are social and like having other gouramis around.
Of course, two male gouramis will not get along well. Keep only one male gourami in the fish tank to keep things peaceful.
Females get along swimmingly, and you can put several females in the tank with one male. You don’t have to put a male in the tank if you don’t want to.
These are good community fish, too. If you’re interested in setting up a community aquarium, then many different types of gouramis can work out well.
Just remember that it generally isn’t recommended to mix and match different types of gouramis. They’ll wind up fighting if you try to do that.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.
Andrea
Thursday 30th of November 2023
Thanks, had fish my whole life but never had a problem. Now, as everything "life" life has to be a science. I had a great tank years ago with Mollies, Barbs, Guppies, and a Gourami. It was a 20 gallon and the fish did great with live plants. Now one Betta in 3 gallon tank. Want to go 20 gallon as I am a renter. Thinking, of a 20 gallon with live plants then when it is ready to introduce an angel fish, then 2 gourami's, then a few neon tetras. Any feedback would be great!