We are huge fans of dwarf gourami and it just keeps becoming increasingly popular within the fish keeping hobby as more and more people add them to their tanks.
Thankfully, dwarf gourami are relativley peaceful fish and they tend to just go about their buisiness in their tanks without issue.
The issue is when it comes to keeping dwarf gourami and shrimp in the same aquarium as each other as your dwarf gourami can eat some of the smaller shrimp species.
Due to seeing a number of people asking about keeping dwarf gourami and shrimp in the same aquariums as each other, we have decided to publish this article to try and help as many of our readers as possible.
Will Dwarf Gourami Eat Shrimp In Their Tank?
The big question that we always get asked is will my dwarf gourami eat my shrimp?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not as straight forward as a yes or no. You see, it really depends on two factors; the size of your shrimp and the size of your dwarf gourami.
If you have a very small shrimp (such as a baby shrimp) and a very large dwarf gourami then there is a high chance that your dwarf gourami will eat your shrimp.
On the flip side of this, if you have a very large shrimp and a very small dwarf gourami then your shrimp will be safe from being eaten.
The reason for this is because dwarf gourami are opportunistic feeders and if they see something small that they think they can eat then they will go for it.
This is why it is so important that you take into account the size of both your shrimp and your dwarf gourami before adding them to the same aquarium.
The good news is that there are a number of methods that you can use to protect your shrimp from being eaten by your dwarf gourami.
How To Protect Your Shrimp From Being Eaten By A Dwarf Gourami!
There are a few methods that you can use to protect your shrimp from being eaten by a dwarf gourami and we have listed them below for you;
- Live Plants
- Ceramic Shrimp Hides
- Shrimp Nets
- Larger Tanks
- Keep Your Dwarf Gourami Fed
Use Plants As A Barrier
This is by far the best method to protect your shrimp from being eaten. You see, if you have a lot of plants in your aquarium then your dwarf gourami will not be able to see your shrimp as easily and this will make it much less likely for them to eat them.
Use Ceramic Shrimp Hides
Another great way to protect your shrimp is to use ceramic shrimp hides. These are little houses that you can add to your aquarium and your shrimp will be able to hide away in them. This will make it very difficult for your dwarf gourami to find and eat them.
Use A Shrimp Net
This is a great way to protect your shrimp if you do not have many plants in your aquarium. All you need to do is put a shrimp net over your aquarium and this will stop your dwarf gourami from being able to get to your shrimp.
Use A Larger Tank
This is not really a method to protect your shrimp but it is worth mentioning. You see, if you have a larger tank then your dwarf gourami will have less of an impact on your shrimp population as they will be able to spread out more. This means that there is less chance of them eating your shrimp.
Keep Your Dwarf Gourami Well Fed
If your dwarf gourami is well fed then they will be less likely to want to eat your shrimp. This is because they will already have enough food and they will not be looking for something else to eat.
What Size Tank Do You Need To Keep Dwarf Gourami And Shrimp Together?
The usual tank size for a dwarf gourami is around 15 gallon or larger but depending on the exact setup, a 20 gallon minimum may be required.
If you go with something like ceramic shrimp hides or live plants as a cover option for your shrimp then you can often just add the shrimp to a tank that is 15-20 gallons and leave them as it is.
If you do not have any cover options for your shrimp or if you just want to be on the safe side then we would recommend getting a 20 gallon tank or larger.
This will give your dwarf gourami plenty of room to swim around but there is still a large chance of your dwarf gourami eating the shrimp the tank without any cover for the shrimp to hide in.
The Best Live Plants For Shrimp And Dwarf Gourami Tanks!
If you are looking for some live plants to add to your shrimp and dwarf gourami tank then we have a few suggestions for you;
- Java Moss
- Java Fern
- Anubias
- Hornwort
- Water Sprite
Java Moss
This is a great plant for shrimp as it provides them with a lot of hiding places. It also grows very quickly so it is great for filtering the water in your tank.
Java Fern
This is another great plant for shrimp as it provides them with a lot of hiding places. It also grows very slowly so it does not need a lot of care.
Anubias
This is a great plant for both shrimp and dwarf gourami as it does not need a lot of light or care. It also provides a lot of hiding places for shrimp.
Hornwort
This is a great plant for both shrimp and dwarf gourami as it grows very quickly. It also does not need a lot of light or care.
Water Sprite
This is a great plant for both shrimp and dwarf gourami as it grows very quickly. It also provides a lot of hiding places for shrimp.
As you can see, there are a few different live plants that you can choose from when setting up your shrimp and dwarf gourami tank. We would recommend getting a mix of these plants so that your shrimp have plenty of places to hide and your dwarf gourami has plenty of places to swim.
How To Set Up A Shrimp And Dwarf Gourami Tank!
Now that you know what size tank you need and what plants to get, it is time to set up your shrimp and dwarf gourami tank.
We would recommend setting up your tank with the following in mind;
- Get a tank that is at least 20 gallons in size.
- Fill your tank with water and add a filter.
- Add your live plants to the tank.
- Add your shrimp to the tank.
- Add your dwarf gourami to the tank.
Now that you have your shrimp and dwarf gourami tank set up, it is time to enjoy your new aquarium!
Conclusion
We hope that you have found this article helpful and that it has answered your question of whether or not you can keep dwarf gourami and shrimp in the same aquarium. If you have any further questions or if you would like to share your own experiences then please do not hesitate to leave a comment below.
