Can flowerhorns live with black neon tetras?

Verdict

No. Flowerhorns and black neon tetras should not share a tank. An adult flowerhorn eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches black neon tetras do.

Flowerhorn80–89°F · pH 7–8

Black neon tetra73–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerAn adult flowerhorn eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches black neon tetras do.
Deal breakerFlowerhorns are aggressive and will bully peaceful black neon tetras.
Watch outThey only share 80–81°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Watch outFlowerhorns grow to 12 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for black neon tetras.

What works

pH 7–7.5 suits both.

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

	Flowerhorn	Black neon tetra
Temperature	80–89 °F	73–81 °F
pH	7–8	5.5–7.5
Adult size	12.0 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	75 gal	15 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	One per tank	Groups of 6+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for black neon tetras

All black neon tetra tank mates

Questions

Can flowerhorns live with black neon tetras?

No. Flowerhorns and black neon tetras should not share a tank. An adult flowerhorn eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches black neon tetras do.

What temperature suits both flowerhorns and black neon tetras?

80–81 °F. Flowerhorns need 80–89 °F, black neon tetras need 73–81 °F.

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

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