Can clown loaches live with serpae tetras?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Clown loaches and serpae tetras can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown clown loach may treat small serpae tetras as food, especially at night.

Clown loach77–86°F · pH 6–7.5

Serpae tetra72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outA grown clown loach may treat small serpae tetras as food, especially at night.

What works

Both are fine at 77–79°F.
pH 6–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: clown loaches the bottom, serpae tetras the mid.

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

	Clown loach	Serpae tetra
Temperature	77–86 °F	72–79 °F
pH	6–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	8.0 in	1.75 in
Minimum tank	75 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Groups of 5+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for clown loaches

All clown loach tank mates

Better tank mates for serpae tetras

All serpae tetra tank mates

Questions

Can clown loaches live with serpae tetras?

Yes, with care. Clown loaches and serpae tetras can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown clown loach may treat small serpae tetras as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both clown loaches and serpae tetras?

77–79 °F. Clown loaches need 77–86 °F, serpae tetras need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do clown loaches and serpae tetras need together?

At least 75 gal, set by the clown loach. Add space for each extra fish.