Can neon tetras live with elephant nose fish?

Verdict
No

No. Neon tetras and elephant nose fish should not share a tank. At 9 inches an elephant nose fish can swallow a 1.5-inch neon tetra whole.

Neon tetraNeon tetra72–79°F · pH 6–7 Elephant nose fishElephant nose fish73–82°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

What works

Water side by side

55°60°65°70°75°80°85°90°Both: 73–79°Neon tetra 72–79°Elephant nose fish 73–82°
The green band is the temperature range both can live in.
456789Both: 6–7Neon tetra 6–7Elephant nose fish 6–7.5
The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Neon tetra · 1.5 inElephant nose fish · 9 in0"1"2"3"4"5"6"7"8"9"
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 tetraElephant nose fish
Temperature72–79 °F73–82 °F
pH6–76–7.5
Adult size1.5 in9.0 in
Minimum tank10 gal55 gal
TemperamentPeacefulSemi-aggressive
Swims atMiddleBottom
GroupGroups of 6+Alone or in pairs
DietOmnivoreCarnivore

Better tank mates for neon tetras

All neon tetra tank mates

Better tank mates for elephant nose fish

All elephant nose fish tank mates

Questions

Can neon tetras live with elephant nose fish?

No. Neon tetras and elephant nose fish should not share a tank. At 9 inches an elephant nose fish can swallow a 1.5-inch neon tetra whole.

What temperature suits both neon tetras and elephant nose fish?

73–79 °F. Neon tetras need 72–79 °F, elephant nose fish need 73–82 °F.

What size tank do neon tetras and elephant nose fish need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the elephant nose fish. Add space for each extra fish.