TankmateChecker

Can angelfish live with serpae tetras?

Verdict

No

No. Angelfish and serpae tetras should not share a tank. An adult angelfish eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.75 inches serpae tetras do.

Angelfish

Angelfish76–84°F · pH 6–7.5

Serpae tetra

Serpae tetra72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerAn adult angelfish eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.75 inches serpae tetras do.
Deal breakerSerpae tetras nip fins, and the long fins of angelfish are an easy target.

What works

Both are fine at 76–79°F.
pH 6–7.5 suits both.

Water side by side

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

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

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

	Angelfish	Serpae tetra
Temperature	76–84 °F	72–79 °F
pH	6–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	1.75 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for angelfish

All angelfish tank mates

Better tank mates for serpae tetras

All serpae tetra tank mates

Questions

Can angelfish live with serpae tetras?

No. Angelfish and serpae tetras should not share a tank. An adult angelfish eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.75 inches serpae tetras do.

What temperature suits both angelfish and serpae tetras?

76–79 °F. Angelfish need 76–84 °F, serpae tetras need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do angelfish and serpae tetras need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the angelfish. Add space for each extra fish.