Lemon tetra tank mates

Good matches

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

Peaceful, slightly deeper-bodied tetra that colours up in groups.

Temperature

72–82°F

pH

5.5–7.5

Temperament

Peaceful

Minimum tank

15 gal

With care

20

Avoid

13

Good tank mates

• Betta76–82°F
• Guppy72–82°F
• Honey gourami72–82°F
• Kuhli loach75–82°F
• Sparkling gourami72–82°F
• Corydoras72–79°F
• Dwarf gourami72–82°F
• Mystery snail72–82°F
• Blue gourami72–82°F
• Otocinclus72–79°F
• Angelfish76–82°F
• Tiger barb72–81°F
• Bolivian ram72–79°F
• Bamboo shrimp72–82°F
• Apistogramma75–82°F
• Yoyo loach75–82°F
• Cherry barb73–81°F
• Paradise fish72–79°F
• Congo tetra73–82°F
• Bristlenose pleco73–81°F
• Panda cory72–77°F
• Rainbow shark72–80°F
• Upside down catfish72–79°F
• Harlequin rasbora72–80°F
• Clown pleco73–82°F
• Ember tetra73–82°F
• Hatchetfish75–81°F
• Killifish72–77°F
• Red tail shark72–79°F
• Neon tetra72–79°F
• Rummy nose tetra75–82°F
• Black skirt tetra72–80°F
• Zebra loach73–79°F
• Pearl gourami77–82°F
• Zebra danio72–77°F
• Endler's livebearer72–82°F
• GloFish tetra72–80°F
• Kribensis75–80°F
• Black neon tetra73–81°F
• Serpae tetra72–79°F
• Pencilfish75–82°F
• Cardinal tetra76–82°F
• Firemouth cichlid75–82°F
• German blue ram80–82°F
• Chili rasbora75–82°F
• Odessa barb72–79°F
• Electric blue acara72–82°F
• Hillstream loach72–75°F
• Crayfish72–77°F
• Ramshorn snail72–80°F
• Pygmy cory72–79°F
• Glowlight tetra74–80°F
• Nerite snail72–78°F
• Celestial pearl danio72–79°F
• Zebra pleco79–82°F
• Platy72–80°F
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish75–82°F
• Dojo loach72–77°F
• Siamese algae eater75–79°F
• Rosy barb72–77°F
• Glass catfish75–80°F
• Assassin snail75–80°F
• Gold barb72–75°F
• Boesemani rainbowfish75–82°F
• Swordtail72–79°F

Possible, with care

• Pea puffer Pea puffers are aggressive, though lemon tetras are big enough to shrug most of it off.
• Cherry shrimp Lemon tetras will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give cherry shrimp somewhere to hide.
• Amano shrimp Lemon tetras will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give amano shrimp somewhere to hide.
• Ghost shrimp Lemon tetras will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give ghost shrimp somewhere to hide.
• African dwarf frog African dwarf frogs eat slowly and nearly blind. Fast lemon tetras will take the food first, so target-feed them.
• Elephant nose fish A grown elephant nose fish may treat small lemon tetras as food, especially at night.
• Common pleco Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for lemon tetras.
• Kissing gourami At 10 inches a kissing gourami can swallow a small lemon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Bala shark At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small lemon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Chinese algae eater Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for lemon tetras.
• Clown loach A grown clown loach may treat small lemon tetras as food, especially at night.
• Molly Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.
• Silver dollar Silver dollars grow to 6 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for lemon tetras.
• Koi At 24 inches a koi can swallow a small lemon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Severum A grown severum may treat small lemon tetras as food, especially at night.
• Tinfoil barb At 12 inches a tinfoil barb can swallow a small lemon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Electric yellow cichlid Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, lemon tetras want pH 5.5–7.5.
• Discus They only share 82°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Blood parrot A grown blood parrot may treat small lemon tetras as food, especially at night.
• Peacock cichlid Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, lemon tetras want pH 5.5–7.5.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); lemon tetras need 72–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Bichir An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches lemon tetras do.
• Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches lemon tetras do.
• Pictus catfish An adult pictus catfish eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches lemon tetras do.
• Oscar An adult oscar eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches lemon tetras do.
• Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful lemon tetras.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); lemon tetras need 72–82°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Jack Dempsey An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches lemon tetras do.
• Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches lemon tetras do.
• African cichlid African cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful lemon tetras.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); lemon tetras need 72–82°F. They meet only at 72°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); lemon tetras need 72–82°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Flowerhorn An adult flowerhorn eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches lemon tetras do.

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