TankmateChecker

Can african cichlids live with ember tetras?

Verdict

No

No. African cichlids and ember tetras should not share a tank. Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, ember tetras want pH 5.5–7.

African cichlid

African cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Ember tetra

Ember tetra73–84°F · pH 5.5–7

What to watch

Deal breakerDifferent water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, ember tetras want pH 5.5–7.
Deal breakerAfrican cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful ember tetras.

What works

Both are fine at 75–82°F.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

No pH suits both. One would live in the wrong water all the time.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	African cichlid	Ember tetra
Temperature	75–82 °F	73–84 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	5.5–7
Adult size	5.0 in	0.8 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	5 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Herbivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for african cichlids

All african cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for ember tetras

All ember tetra tank mates

Questions

Can african cichlids live with ember tetras?

No. African cichlids and ember tetras should not share a tank. Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, ember tetras want pH 5.5–7.

What temperature suits both african cichlids and ember tetras?

75–82 °F. African cichlids need 75–82 °F, ember tetras need 73–84 °F.

What size tank do african cichlids and ember tetras need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the african cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.