Can neon tetras live with clown loaches?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Neon tetras and clown loaches can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 8 inches a clown loach can swallow a small neon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

Neon tetra72–79°F · pH 6–7

Clown loach77–86°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 8 inches a clown loach can swallow a small neon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Watch outClown loaches grow to 8 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for neon tetras.

What works

Both are fine at 77–79°F.
pH 6–7 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: neon tetras the mid, clown loaches the bottom.

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

	Neon tetra	Clown loach
Temperature	72–79 °F	77–86 °F
pH	6–7	6–7.5
Adult size	1.5 in	8.0 in
Minimum tank	10 gal	75 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 5+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for neon tetras

All neon tetra tank mates

Better tank mates for clown loaches

All clown loach tank mates

Questions

Can neon tetras live with clown loaches?

Yes, with care. Neon tetras and clown loaches can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 8 inches a clown loach can swallow a small neon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What temperature suits both neon tetras and clown loaches?

77–79 °F. Neon tetras need 72–79 °F, clown loaches need 77–86 °F.

What size tank do neon tetras and clown loaches need together?

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