Can goldfish live with ember tetras?

Verdict

No. Goldfish and ember tetras should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); ember tetras need 73–84°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

Ember tetra73–84°F · pH 5.5–7

What to watch

Deal breakerGoldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°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 10 inches a 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

	Goldfish	Ember tetra
Temperature	60–74 °F	73–84 °F
pH	7–8	5.5–7
Adult size	10.0 in	0.8 in
Minimum tank	40 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 goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for ember tetras

All ember tetra tank mates

Questions

Can goldfish live with ember tetras?

No. Goldfish and ember tetras should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); ember tetras need 73–84°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

What temperature suits both goldfish and ember tetras?

73–74 °F. Goldfish need 60–74 °F, ember tetras need 73–84 °F.

What size tank do goldfish and ember tetras need together?

At least 40 gal, set by the goldfish. Add space for each extra fish.