Can fancy goldfish live with ember tetras?

Verdict

No. Fancy goldfish and ember tetras should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); ember tetras need 73–84°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

Fancy goldfish65–74°F · pH 7–8

Ember tetra73–84°F · pH 5.5–7

What to watch

Deal breakerFancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); ember tetras need 73–84°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
Watch outWater chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
Watch outAt 6 inches a fancy goldfish can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

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

	Fancy goldfish	Ember tetra
Temperature	65–74 °F	73–84 °F
pH	7–8	5.5–7
Adult size	6.0 in	0.8 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	5 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for fancy goldfish

All fancy goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for ember tetras

All ember tetra tank mates

Questions

Can fancy goldfish live with ember tetras?

No. Fancy goldfish and ember tetras should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); ember tetras need 73–84°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

What temperature suits both fancy goldfish and ember tetras?

73–74 °F. Fancy goldfish need 65–74 °F, ember tetras need 73–84 °F.

What size tank do fancy goldfish and ember tetras need together?

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