Can plecos live with black neon tetras?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Plecos and black neon tetras can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for black neon tetras.

Common pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Black neon tetra73–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outPlecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for black neon tetras.

What works

Both are fine at 73–81°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: plecos the bottom, black neon 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

	Common pleco	Black neon tetra
Temperature	72–86 °F	73–81 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	5.5–7.5
Adult size	15.0 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	15 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Herbivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Better tank mates for black neon tetras

All black neon tetra tank mates

Questions

Can plecos live with black neon tetras?

Yes, with care. Plecos and black neon tetras can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for black neon tetras.

What temperature suits both plecos and black neon tetras?

73–81 °F. Plecos need 72–86 °F, black neon tetras need 73–81 °F.

What size tank do plecos and black neon tetras need together?

At least 125 gal, set by the common pleco. Add space for each extra fish.