Can Moonlight Gourami and Peacock Gudgeon Live Together?

Moonlight Gourami is a generally mild-mannered species (3/10), while Peacock Gudgeon is peaceful (2/10). This modest difference means Moonlight Gourami may occasionally assert dominance over Peacock Gudgeon.

Moonlight Gourami and Peacock Gudgeon both frequent the Middle (Open Water) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

Worth noting: Moonlight Gourami is a known jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential.

The safe temperature window for both species falls between 25°C and 26°C. Aim for the midpoint of this range (around 25.5°C) for optimal comfort.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 5–10 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house Moonlight Gourami and Peacock Gudgeon together, plan for an aquarium of at least 150 litres with a minimum length of 90 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Because this pairing requires extra vigilance, include plenty of hiding spots — caves, driftwood, and dense plant clusters — so the less dominant fish can retreat when needed.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Plants - Densely covered, Plants - Floating, Smooth Gravel (Sensitive Barbels). Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Note a potential conflict in setup requirements: Moonlight Gourami is a plant destroyer, which conflicts with Peacock Gudgeon's requirement for live plants. Compromise where possible or prioritise the more critical need.

Both species do well with low (still water) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.

This pairing usually fails when the tank is treated like a standard mixed community and the caution flags are ignored. Moonlight Gourami and Peacock Gudgeon need extra room, more cover, and closer observation during the first few weeks so small aggression, feeding, or territory issues do not snowball into a long-term problem.