What fish can live with Lambchop / Espei rasbora?

Use the "Often compatible" lists as a shortlist, not a stocking plan. Always run the pair tool and check the footprint of your actual tank first. Verify behaviour for Lambchop / Espei rasbora against your own reading before you buy.

What tank mates should you avoid with Lambchop / Espei rasbora?

Avoid Oscar, African Cichlid, Green Terror based on size, temperament, or predation risk on file.

What size tank do Lambchop / Espei rasbora need for a community?

60L is the planning floor for adult swimming space and bioload headroom. Long-term, a 73L+ tank lets adults use the full footprint without crowding the next species. Footprint, meaning length and front-to-back depth, matters as much as raw volume for active or territorial species.

Lambchop / Espei rasbora tank mates

A 3.5 cm orange rasbora with a shoulder marking shaped like a lambchop cut. Very peaceful, schools tightly, and works in almost any soft-water community.

Evidence: partially verified

Confidence: high

Lists below are built from this species record (safest, best with, risky, unsafe) — each link opens a pair-level check, not a guarantee.

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Best tank mates (on file)

Merged from conservative safest and best with fields — de-duplicated by species.

Chili Rasbora Pair check
The Lambchop / Espei rasbora profile lists Chili Rasbora as a safe tank mate. Chili Rasbora schools in groups of 8 or more, so plan room for the whole group rather than one fish.
Corydoras Catfish Pair check
The Lambchop / Espei rasbora profile lists Corydoras Catfish as both safe and a recommended pairing. Corydoras Catfish schools in groups of 6 or more, so plan room for the whole group rather than one fish. Corydoras Catfish swims in the bottom zone while Lambchop / Espei rasbora stays in the middle, so the two will not crowd the same water column.
Dwarf Gourami Pair check
The Lambchop / Espei rasbora profile lists Dwarf Gourami as a recommended pairing. Dwarf Gourami grows bigger than Lambchop / Espei rasbora (8cm vs 3.5cm). Stock the Lambchop / Espei rasbora group large enough to outnumber the Dwarf Gourami, or the smaller fish ends up bullied or off food.
Ember Tetra Pair check
The Lambchop / Espei rasbora profile lists Ember Tetra as both safe and a recommended pairing. Ember Tetra schools in groups of 8 or more, so plan room for the whole group rather than one fish.
Neon Tetra Pair check
The Lambchop / Espei rasbora profile lists Neon Tetra as a recommended pairing. Neon Tetra schools in groups of 6 or more, so plan room for the whole group rather than one fish.
Pygmy Corydoras Pair check
The Lambchop / Espei rasbora profile lists Pygmy Corydoras as a recommended pairing. Pygmy Corydoras schools in groups of 6 or more, so plan room for the whole group rather than one fish.
Sparkling Gourami Pair check
The Lambchop / Espei rasbora profile lists Sparkling Gourami as a safe tank mate. Sparkling Gourami schools in groups of 6 or more, so plan room for the whole group rather than one fish.

Risky or situational

From risky tank mates and broad avoid with (excluding “unsafe” below). May work with species-only setups, more water, or mature systems — read the pair page.

Tiger Barb Open pair check
Tiger Barb is rated semi-aggressive, so expect chasing, fin damage, or display behaviour directed at Lambchop / Espei rasbora. Run the pair checker before stocking.
German Blue Ram Open pair check
Marked risky or situational on the profile. Tank length and group size change the outcome more than a temperament label does.
Betta Open pair check
Betta is rated semi-aggressive, so expect chasing, fin damage, or display behaviour directed at Lambchop / Espei rasbora. Run the pair checker before stocking.
Jack Dempsey Open pair check
Jack Dempsey reaches 25cm and is flagged predatory or as likely to eat small fish. Adult-size Lambchop / Espei rasbora at 3.5cm is inside that gape range. Jack Dempsey is rated aggressive, so expect chasing, fin damage, or display behaviour directed at Lambchop / Espei rasbora. Run the pair checker before stocking.

Fish to avoid with Lambchop / Espei rasbora

From the unsafe list — predation, aggression, or space rules on this profile.

Oscar See why (pair)
Oscar reaches 35cm and is flagged predatory. Lambchop / Espei rasbora at 3.5cm is prey-sized for it. Oscar needs at least 300L, far above the 60L minimum for Lambchop / Espei rasbora. The tank that houses one stresses the other. Oscar is rated aggressive and Lambchop / Espei rasbora is rated peaceful. No community-style planning carries that gap.
African Cichlid See why (pair)
African Cichlid reaches 15cm and is flagged predatory. Lambchop / Espei rasbora at 3.5cm is prey-sized for it. African Cichlid needs at least 200L, far above the 60L minimum for Lambchop / Espei rasbora. The tank that houses one stresses the other. African Cichlid is rated aggressive and Lambchop / Espei rasbora is rated peaceful. No community-style planning carries that gap.
Green Terror See why (pair)
Green Terror reaches 30cm and is flagged predatory. Lambchop / Espei rasbora at 3.5cm is prey-sized for it. Green Terror needs at least 300L, far above the 60L minimum for Lambchop / Espei rasbora. The tank that houses one stresses the other. Green Terror is rated aggressive and Lambchop / Espei rasbora is rated peaceful. No community-style planning carries that gap.

Tank size and groups

Published minimum for Lambchop / Espei rasbora: 60L — group minimum 8 (schooling).
Compatibility changes when the tank is too short for turning, too little for a real school, or too warm for one species and not the other — that is why pair checks include tank context, not only temperament.
Nearest litre hub to this minimum: 60L hub.

Plan before you buy

Pair checks for every mix, then multi-species stocking in the builder.

Open compatibility checker Tank builder

Filtration & heating

A 60L minimum tank for Lambchop / Espei rasbora needs a filter rated for at least 240L/hr turnover and a heater maintaining 23–28°C.

Filter buying guide →Heater buying guide →Beginner plants guide →