Neon Tetra tank mates
The classic schooling tetra. Peaceful and stable in soft, settled water. Adding them to a tank under a month old loses half of any batch.
Lists below are built from this species record (safest, best with, risky, unsafe) — each link opens a pair-level check, not a guarantee.
Best tank mates (on file)
Merged from conservative safest and best with fields — de-duplicated by species.
The Neon Tetra profile lists Cherry Barb as both safe and a recommended pairing. Cherry Barb schools in groups of 6 or more, so plan room for the whole group rather than one fish.
The Neon Tetra 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 Neon Tetra stays in the middle, so the two will not crowd the same water column.
The Neon Tetra profile lists Dwarf Gourami as both safe and a recommended pairing. Dwarf Gourami grows bigger than Neon Tetra (8cm vs 4cm). Stock the Neon Tetra group large enough to outnumber the Dwarf Gourami, or the smaller fish ends up bullied or off food.
The Neon Tetra profile lists Guppy as both safe and a recommended pairing. Water parameters barely overlap between the two, so check the temperature and pH ranges on both profiles before stocking.
The Neon Tetra profile lists Harlequin Rasbora as both safe and a recommended pairing. Harlequin Rasbora 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.
None on file beyond the safe list.
Fish to avoid with Neon Tetra
From the unsafe list — predation, aggression, or space rules on this profile.
Oscar reaches 35cm and is flagged predatory. Neon Tetra at 4cm is prey-sized for it. Oscar needs at least 300L, far above the 40L minimum for Neon Tetra. The tank that houses one stresses the other. Oscar is rated aggressive and Neon Tetra is rated peaceful. No community-style planning carries that gap.
Angelfish reaches 20cm and is flagged predatory. Neon Tetra at 4cm is prey-sized for it. Angelfish needs at least 150L, far above the 40L minimum for Neon Tetra. The tank that houses one stresses the other.
Tiger Barb conflicts with Neon Tetra on temperament, predation, or footprint. The juvenile size in a shop tank is not the figure that matters here.
Jack Dempsey reaches 25cm and is flagged predatory. Neon Tetra at 4cm is prey-sized for it. Jack Dempsey needs at least 200L, far above the 40L minimum for Neon Tetra. The tank that houses one stresses the other. Jack Dempsey is rated aggressive and Neon Tetra is rated peaceful. No community-style planning carries that gap.
Tank size and groups
- Published minimum for Neon Tetra: 40L — group minimum 6 (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: 40L hub.
Plan before you buy
Pair checks for every mix, then multi-species stocking in the builder.
Filtration & heating
A 40L minimum tank for Neon Tetra needs a filter rated for at least 160L/hr turnover and a heater maintaining 20–26°C.
Similar fish (same category)
- Ember Tetra — min 45L
- Beckford Pencilfish — min 60L
- Black Neon Tetra — min 60L
- Bloodfin tetra — min 60L
- Cardinal Tetra — min 60L
- Glowlight Tetra — min 60L
- Green neon tetra — min 60L
- Lemon Tetra — min 60L
Related (care + temperament)
Other species that list Neon Tetra
Reverse lookup: these profiles reference Neon Tetra under safe or “best with” lists.