Can Thick-lipped Gourami live with Red Nose Shrimp?
Caution — with care
Why
- Thick-lipped Gourami is recorded as taking adult shrimp and is 2.3× the length of Red Nose Shrimp. Dense cover helps and some individuals ignore them, but expect losses.
- Only a narrow water hardness overlap — keep both around 6–7.5 dGH.
Sweet spot: both do well at 73–82°F and pH 7–7.6 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Thick-lipped Gourami | Red Nose Shrimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 72–82°F | 73–82°F |
| pH | 6.5–7.6 | 7–8 |
| Hardness (GH) | 6–7.5 dGH | 6–15 dGH |
| Adult size | 3.5" | 1.5" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 30 gal | 20 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
Design the whole tank, not just the stocking
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Design a tank with Thick-lipped Gourami, Red Nose Shrimp →Everything compatible with Thick-lipped Gourami · …with Red Nose Shrimp