Compatibility of Pink Gouramis and African Cichlids

Pink gouramis, or kissing gouramis, are a tropical fish originating from Asia that can grow up to 12 in. in total length. They are available as for sale in fish stores in the United States, and due to their vastly different care requirements from African cichlids, these fish should not be kept together.

  1. Water Parameters

    • Pink gouramis are a soft water fish that should be kept at a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. African cichlids prefer alkaline water above pH 7.0 and as high as 9.0.

    Size

    • Pink gouramis get much larger than the average African cichlid, making them a bad candidate for keeping with cichlids due to possible aggression. Gouramis will eat anything they can fit in their mouths, and may try to make a meal of young or small cichlids.

    Aggression

    • Cichlids are dominant and territorial, and have been known to pick at and bully fish much larger than themselves. It is likely that the gourami would be attacked viciously if kept with cichlids.

    Feeding

    • Cichlids also compete voraciously at meal time, making it difficult for the gourami to get proper nutrition.

    Housing

    • Pink gouramis prefer to live in densely planted tanks. Live plants will fare poorly in an African cichlid's alkaline water. Cichlids need plenty of rocky hardscape to hide among, and will almost certainly destroy live plants.