Can neon tetras live with rainbow sharks?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Neon tetras and rainbow sharks can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown rainbow shark may treat small neon tetras as food, especially at night.

Neon tetra72–79°F · pH 6–7

Rainbow shark72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outA grown rainbow shark may treat small neon tetras as food, especially at night.

What works

Both are fine at 72–79°F.
pH 6.5–7 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: neon tetras the mid, rainbow sharks 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	Rainbow shark
Temperature	72–79 °F	72–80 °F
pH	6–7	6.5–7.5
Adult size	1.5 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	10 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Groups of 6+	One per tank
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for neon tetras

All neon tetra tank mates

Better tank mates for rainbow sharks

All rainbow shark tank mates

Questions

Can neon tetras live with rainbow sharks?

Yes, with care. Neon tetras and rainbow sharks can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown rainbow shark may treat small neon tetras as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both neon tetras and rainbow sharks?

72–79 °F. Neon tetras need 72–79 °F, rainbow sharks need 72–80 °F.

What size tank do neon tetras and rainbow sharks need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the rainbow shark. Add space for each extra fish.