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Pearl Gouramis are members of the Gourami family that are known for their ‘pearl-like’ coloring. Almost every color under the sun is available for guppies. It is a frequent question whether Pearl Gourami can be kept with Guppies.
Yes, Pearl Gourami and Guppies can live together. Each species of fish is nonaggressive and will, for the most part, keep to themselves. Both Pearl Gouramis and Guppies are suitable for a community aquarium.
About five years ago, I purchased six little Pearl Gouramis. This was my first encounter with these exquisite fish, and I was impressed. They were little when I first obtained them, but they quickly developed and started to demonstrate whence the term “Pearl” Gourami originated.
Can Pearl Gourami and Guppies cohabitate?
No one can argue that a tank full of swimming, vividly colored fish is aesthetically pleasing. Guppies are tiny, swift, and colorful; they dart all around the aquarium. Pearl Gourami, on the other hand, are much bigger and much more graceful in the aquarium. Guppies and Pearl Gourami contrast well with one another.
Pearl Gouramis spend practically all of their time in the aquarium’s uppermost third. They prefer to consume just the top layer. Once the meal starts to sink and passes them, they become hesitant to swim down to the substrate to consume it.
This indicates that it may decay in your water. In contrast, guppies will consume everything in the tank. The Pearl Gourami will gladly consume any food that passes them by.
Pearl Gourami And Guppies Require Comparable Water Conditions?
Pearl Gourami and Guppies need similar water conditions, while the Gourami is somewhat more picky. The Guppies will get along with your Pearl Gourami fish just fine if you tailor your aquarium to their requirements.
The tank water temperature should be adjusted between 77°F and 82°F and the pH should be anywhere between 6.5 and 7.5. The Gourami require somewhat softer water, whereas the Guppies prefer slightly harder water. Aim for 10-15dH in the center of the spectrum.
What Size Aquarium Should Pearl Gouramis and Guppies Share?
A 30-gallon aquarium is sufficient for a pair of Pearl Gourami and many guppies. A 40-gallon tank would let you to house three Pearl Gourami with the Guppies.
Consider a 55-gallon or 75-gallon tank if you want to house a bigger collection of Pearl Gourami. Six or eight Pearl Gourami might be kept in a 75-gallon aquarium.
How should an aquarium for Pearl Gourami and Guppy be set up?
While the Guppies are not very concerned with how their tank is set up, the Pearl Gourami will enjoy having a tank that meets their requirements. Pearl Gouramis like aquariums with a dark substrate.
Floating plants in the aquarium will also assist satisfy the Pearl Gourami’s craving for dimmed illumination. As previously stated, the aquarium requires a heater and filter. In most cases, a basic aquarium heater set to 78 degrees Fahrenheit would suffice.
Avoid placing your Pearl Gourami and Guppy aquarium in high-traffic locations; otherwise, your Pearl Gourami may spend most of their time hiding.
In the past, I have had wonderful experience maintaining Pearl Gourami in tanks with Fluval Stratum or black blasting sand. The presence of plants in the aquarium will make the Pearl Gourami feel more secure, so they will spend more time swimming in the open than than hiding.
Floating plants in the aquarium will also assist satisfy the Pearl Gourami’s craving for dimmed illumination. As previously stated, the aquarium requires a heater and filter. In most cases, a basic aquarium heater set to 78 degrees Fahrenheit would suffice.
Avoid placing your Pearl Gourami and Guppy aquarium in high-traffic locations; otherwise, your Pearl Gourami may spend most of their time hiding.
Is there any danger of Pearl Gourami eating baby guppy fish?
The honest answer is yes, Pearl Gourami will probably consume some of the Guppy babies. To put it simply, any fish small enough to fit in the mouth of a Pearl Gourami will, at some point, become a Pearl Gourami meal. To provide a safe haven for the young, you may add heaps of tiny pebbles that the Gourami won’t be able to get.
Make sure the baby Guppy fish have as much protection from the Pearl Gourami as possible. The ideal approach to give cover is with real, living plants like bushes, although floating plants with long trailing roots can do the job, too.
Who Else Belongs in a Tank with Pearl Gourami and Guppy Fish?
The number of Pearl Gourami and Guppy that can live together in one tank is directly proportional to the tank’s volume.
The size of the tank is always a limiting element. A bottom-dwelling fish is likely the best addition to your tank, given that your Pearl Gourami spends its days swimming just below the surface and your Guppies populate the whole of the tank.
How About Some Other Kinds of Gourami?
Guppies may share a tank with several other species in the Gourami family. When placed in a tank with blue Guppies, powder blue Gourami stand out beautifully. In contrast, a crimson Guppy brings out the brilliant yellow of a Honey Gourami. Dwarf Gouramis are similarly tranquil, and they’ll look great beside the many different coloured Guppy fish.
Last but not least
The Guppies and Pearl Gourami will make a great team. Their maintenance needs are similar enough that they can swim in the same pool without incident, but their personalities are distinct enough to keep things interesting.
Assuming your tank is big enough, stock it with a variety of fish, including some bottom-dwellers, and some Red Cherry Shrimp for added color and variety.
