Can ember tetras live with firemouth cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Ember tetras and firemouth cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 6 inches a firemouth cichlid can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

Ember tetra73–84°F · pH 5.5–7

Firemouth cichlid75–86°F · pH 6.5–8

What to watch

Watch outAt 6 inches a firemouth cichlid can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What works

Both are fine at 75–84°F.
pH 6.5–7 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: ember tetras the mid, firemouth cichlids the bottom.

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

	Ember tetra	Firemouth cichlid
Temperature	73–84 °F	75–86 °F
pH	5.5–7	6.5–8
Adult size	0.8 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Groups of 6+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for ember tetras

All ember tetra tank mates

Better tank mates for firemouth cichlids

All firemouth cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can ember tetras live with firemouth cichlids?

Yes, with care. Ember tetras and firemouth cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 6 inches a firemouth cichlid can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What temperature suits both ember tetras and firemouth cichlids?

75–84 °F. Ember tetras need 73–84 °F, firemouth cichlids need 75–86 °F.

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

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