Can Blue Gourami live with Painted Fire Red Shrimp?
Caution — with care
Why
- Blue Gourami is not on the verified shrimp-safe list, so we will not recommend it over a breeding Painted Fire Red Shrimp colony. It may well be fine — it simply has not been confirmed by a source, and an unverified guess is not worth the colony.
- Blue Gourami is 3.3× the length of Painted Fire Red Shrimp and big enough to swallow one. Some keepers get away with it in a heavily planted tank; it is a real risk.
- Blue Gourami will eat Painted Fire Red Shrimp shrimplets. The colony still grows if there is moss or another dense hiding place for the babies.
Sweet spot: both do well at 72–75°F and pH 6.5–7.8 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Blue Gourami | Painted Fire Red Shrimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 72–82°F | 65–75°F |
| pH | 6–8.5 | 6.5–7.8 |
| Hardness (GH) | 5–20 dGH | 6–15 dGH |
| Adult size | 5" | 1.5" |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 30 gal | 10 gal |
Together, plan on at least 30 gallons.
How to make it work
- Keep a large, established shrimp colony in a heavily planted tank with moss and cover so enough survive to breed.
- Add only full-grown adults — never juveniles, which will be eaten.
Sort it with: A larger tank · GH remineraliser
Where to buy
- Painted Fire Red Shrimp: buy at The Shrimp Farm · The Shrimp Farm live-arrival guarantee
Live-animal shipping: add a heat pack below 50°F, expect weather holds above 90°F, and schedule delivery for a moderate week when someone can receive it promptly.
Design the whole tank, not just the stocking
Skapelab plans a complete, buildable planted aquarium around your fish — a hand-illustrated layout, the exact plants and hardscape, a placement map, and a full equipment and shopping list. Free.
Design a tank with Blue Gourami, Painted Fire Red Shrimp →Everything compatible with Blue Gourami · …with Painted Fire Red Shrimp