Can jack dempseys live with black neon tetras?

Verdict

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

Jack Dempsey72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Black neon tetra73–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerAn adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1.5 inches black neon tetras do.
Deal breakerJack dempseys are aggressive and will bully peaceful black neon tetras.

What works

Both are fine at 73–81°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 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

	Jack Dempsey	Black neon tetra
Temperature	72–86 °F	73–81 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	5.5–7.5
Adult size	10.0 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	15 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for jack dempseys

CrayfishYes

All jack dempsey tank mates

Better tank mates for black neon tetras

All black neon tetra tank mates

Questions

Can jack dempseys live with black neon tetras?

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

What temperature suits both jack dempseys and black neon tetras?

73–81 °F. Jack dempseys need 72–86 °F, black neon tetras need 73–81 °F.

What size tank do jack dempseys and black neon tetras need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the jack dempsey. Add space for each extra fish.