Can firemouth cichlids live with black neon tetras?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Firemouth cichlids and black neon tetras can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small black neon tetras as food, especially at night.

Firemouth cichlid75–86°F · pH 6.5–8

Black neon tetra73–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outA grown firemouth cichlid may treat small black neon tetras as food, especially at night.

What works

Both are fine at 75–81°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: firemouth cichlids 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

	Firemouth cichlid	Black neon tetra
Temperature	75–86 °F	73–81 °F
pH	6.5–8	5.5–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	15 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for firemouth cichlids

All firemouth cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for black neon tetras

All black neon tetra tank mates

Questions

Can firemouth cichlids live with black neon tetras?

Yes, with care. Firemouth cichlids and black neon tetras can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small black neon tetras as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both firemouth cichlids and black neon tetras?

75–81 °F. Firemouth cichlids need 75–86 °F, black neon tetras need 73–81 °F.

What size tank do firemouth cichlids and black neon tetras need together?

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