Can Chocolate Shrimp live with Sparkling Gourami?
Caution — with care
Why
- Sparkling Gourami is not on the verified shrimp-safe list, so we will not recommend it over a breeding Chocolate 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.
- Sparkling Gourami will eat Chocolate Shrimp shrimplets. The colony still grows if there is moss or another dense hiding place for the babies.
- Only a narrow pH overlap — keep both around 7.5–7.5.
Sweet spot: both do well at 76–80°F and pH 7.5–7.5 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Chocolate Shrimp | Sparkling Gourami | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 74–80°F | 76–82°F |
| pH | 7.5–8.5 | 6–7.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 8–18 dGH | 2–12 dGH |
| Adult size | 1" | 1.5" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 10 gal | 10 gal |
Together, plan on at least 10 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.
Where to buy
- Sparkling Gourami: 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 Chocolate Shrimp, Sparkling Gourami →Everything compatible with Chocolate Shrimp · …with Sparkling Gourami