Cardinal tetra tank mates

Good matches

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The safest picks for cardinal tetras are bettas, angelfish and guppies. Each match shares cardinal tetras' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Likes warmer, softer water than the neon. A good match for discus.

Temperature

76–84°F

pH

4.6–7

Temperament

Peaceful

Minimum tank

20 gal

With care

28

Avoid

18

Good tank mates

• Betta76–82°F
• Angelfish76–84°F
• Guppy76–82°F
• Neon tetra76–79°F
• Discus82–84°F
• Kuhli loach76–84°F
• Apistogramma76–84°F
• Honey gourami76–82°F
• Rummy nose tetra76–84°F
• Yoyo loach76–84°F
• German blue ram80–84°F
• Ember tetra76–84°F
• Sparkling gourami76–82°F
• Hatchetfish76–81°F
• Corydoras76–79°F
• Lemon tetra76–82°F
• Pencilfish76–82°F
• Dwarf gourami76–82°F
• Firemouth cichlid76–84°F
• Blue gourami76–82°F
• Pearl gourami77–82°F
• Chili rasbora76–82°F
• Otocinclus76–79°F
• Zebra pleco79–84°F
• Tiger barb76–81°F
• Silver dollar76–82°F
• Cherry barb76–81°F
• Bolivian ram76–79°F
• Kribensis76–80°F
• Congo tetra76–82°F
• Black neon tetra76–81°F
• Bristlenose pleco76–81°F
• Bamboo shrimp76–82°F
• Clown pleco76–82°F
• Paradise fish76–79°F
• Chinese algae eater76–80°F
• Rainbow shark76–80°F
• Upside down catfish76–79°F
• Harlequin rasbora76–80°F
• Zebra loach76–79°F
• Red tail shark76–79°F
• Black skirt tetra76–80°F
• Glowlight tetra76–80°F
• GloFish tetra76–80°F
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish76–82°F
• Serpae tetra76–79°F
• Siamese algae eater76–79°F
• Odessa barb76–79°F
• Glass catfish76–80°F
• Electric blue acara76–82°F
• Pygmy cory76–79°F
• Celestial pearl danio76–79°F

Possible, with care

• Pea puffer Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
• Clown loach A grown clown loach may treat small cardinal tetras as food, especially at night.
• Mystery snail Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
• Cherry shrimp Cardinal tetras will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give cherry shrimp somewhere to hide.
• Common pleco Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for cardinal tetras.
• Amano shrimp Cardinal tetras will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give amano shrimp somewhere to hide.
• Elephant nose fish A grown elephant nose fish may treat small cardinal tetras as food, especially at night.
• Severum A grown severum may treat small cardinal tetras as food, especially at night.
• Ghost shrimp Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
• African dwarf frog African dwarf frogs eat slowly and nearly blind. Fast cardinal tetras will take the food first, so target-feed them.
• Killifish They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Panda cory They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Molly Different water: cardinal tetras want pH 4.6–7, mollies want pH 7.5–8.5.
• Kissing gourami At 10 inches a kissing gourami can swallow a small cardinal tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Zebra danio They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Endler's livebearer Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
• Bala shark At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small cardinal tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Assassin snail Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
• Crayfish They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Ramshorn snail Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
• Blood parrot A grown blood parrot may treat small cardinal tetras as food, especially at night.
• Nerite snail Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
• Boesemani rainbowfish Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
• Platy Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.
• Dojo loach They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Rosy barb They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Tinfoil barb At 12 inches a tinfoil barb can swallow a small cardinal tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Swordtail Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); cardinal tetras need 76–84°F. No temperature suits both.
• Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches cardinal tetras do.
• Oscar An adult oscar eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches cardinal tetras do.
• Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful cardinal tetras.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); cardinal tetras need 76–84°F. No temperature suits both.
• Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches cardinal tetras do.
• Bichir An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches cardinal tetras do.
• Pictus catfish An adult pictus catfish eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches cardinal tetras do.
• Jack Dempsey An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches cardinal tetras do.
• African cichlid Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, cardinal tetras want pH 4.6–7.
• Electric yellow cichlid Different water: cardinal tetras want pH 4.6–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Hillstream loach No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, cardinal tetras need 76–84°F.
• Koi Koi are coldwater animals (59–77°F); cardinal tetras need 76–84°F. They overlap only at 76–77°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Peacock cichlid Different water: cardinal tetras want pH 4.6–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); cardinal tetras need 76–84°F. No temperature suits both.
• Gold barb No shared temperature. Cardinal tetras need 76–84°F, gold barbs need 64–75°F.
• Flowerhorn An adult flowerhorn eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches cardinal tetras do.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); cardinal tetras need 76–84°F. No temperature suits both.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the cardinal tetra care sheet.