Can Thick-lipped Gourami live with Carbon Rili Shrimp?
Caution — with care
Why
- Thick-lipped Gourami is one of the animals to keep away from a breeding shrimp colony — either it hunts them, or it out-competes and harasses them until the colony stops replacing itself. A Carbon Rili Shrimp colony will not hold its numbers.
- Thick-lipped Gourami is recorded as taking adult shrimp and is 2.3× the length of Carbon Rili Shrimp. Dense cover helps and some individuals ignore them, but expect losses.
- Thick-lipped Gourami will eat Carbon Rili Shrimp shrimplets. The colony still grows if there is moss or another dense hiding place for the babies.
- Only a narrow water hardness overlap — keep both around 6–7.5 dGH.
Sweet spot: both do well at 72–75°F and pH 6.5–7.6 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Thick-lipped Gourami | Carbon Rili Shrimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 72–82°F | 65–75°F |
| pH | 6.5–7.6 | 6.5–7.8 |
| Hardness (GH) | 6–7.5 dGH | 6–15 dGH |
| Adult size | 3.5" | 1.5" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | 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.
- Target the overlapping water-parameter range and acclimate slowly.
Sort it with: GH remineraliser
Where to buy
- Carbon Rili 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 Thick-lipped Gourami, Carbon Rili Shrimp →Everything compatible with Thick-lipped Gourami · …with Carbon Rili Shrimp