Tank mates for black phantom tetras

We checked black phantom tetras against all 149 other species in our database for water temperature, pH, size, fin nipping, predation and aggression.

Good tank mates for black phantom tetras include nerite snail, neon tetra, panda corydoras, bristlenose pleco, bronze corydoras and zebra danio. Avoid angelfish, cherry shrimp and common goldfish: angelfish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Black phantom tetras: 22–28°C (72–82°F), pH 6–7.5, adult size 4 cm (1.6 in), minimum tank 20 gallons (76 L). Full black phantom tetra care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (86)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

Caution Possible, with care (36)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

  • Betta fish · 5+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of bettas are an easy target.
  • Dwarf gourami · 15+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of dwarf gouramis are an easy target.
  • Fancy goldfish · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of fancy goldfish are an easy target.
  • Guppy · 10+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of guppies are an easy target.
  • Tiger barb · 29+ gal
    • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black phantom tetras.
  • Amano shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra hunts shrimp. Larger amano shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Blood parrot cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black phantom tetras.
    • Blood parrot cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase black phantom tetras, which use the same area.
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Clown loach grows much larger than black phantom tetras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Discus · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 28–28°C).
  • Dojo loach · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Firemouth cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Firemouth cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black phantom tetras.
  • German blue ram · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 27–28°C).
  • Ghost shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra hunts shrimp. Larger ghost shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Honey gourami · 10+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Kribensis · 29+ gal
    • Kribensis is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black phantom tetras.
  • Pearl gourami · 29+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black phantom tetras.
  • Red-tail shark · 75+ gal
    • Red-tail shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black phantom tetras.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of three spot gouramis are an easy target.
    • Three spot gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black phantom tetras.
  • White cloud mountain minnow · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–22°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Bamboo shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra hunts shrimp. Larger bamboo shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Buenos Aires tetra · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black phantom tetras.
  • Bumblebee catfish · 20+ gal
    • Bumblebee catfish may eat black phantom tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Congo tetra · 40+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of Congo tetras are an easy target.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Black phantom tetra may attack small crustaceans like dwarf orange crayfish, especially after they molt.
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Kissing gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black phantom tetras.
    • Kissing gourami grows much larger than black phantom tetras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Paradise fish · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Serpae tetra · 20+ gal
    • Serpae tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black phantom tetras.
  • Thai micro crab · 5+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra may attack small crustaceans like Thai micro crabs, especially after they molt.
  • Threadfin rainbowfish · 20+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of threadfin rainbowfish are an easy target.
  • Vampire shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra hunts shrimp. Larger vampire shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Moonlight gourami · 29+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of moonlight gouramis are an easy target.
  • Thick-lipped gourami · 20+ gal
    • Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of thick-lipped gouramis are an easy target.

Avoid Bad tank mates (27)

  • Angelfish: Angelfish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Cherry shrimp: Black phantom tetra eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
  • Common goldfish: Common goldfish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bala shark: Bala shark can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black phantom tetras.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black phantom tetras.
  • Electric blue acara: Electric blue acara can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black phantom tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black phantom tetras.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black phantom tetras. Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black phantom tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Pictus catfish: Pictus catfish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black phantom tetras. Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black phantom tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • African butterfly fish: African butterfly fish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Crystal red shrimp: Black phantom tetra eats small shrimp like crystal red shrimp.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black phantom tetras. Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black phantom tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black phantom tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Golden wonder killifish: Golden wonder killifish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Green terror: Green terror can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black phantom tetras.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black phantom tetras.
  • Ropefish: Ropefish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Severum: Severum can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Shell dweller cichlid: Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black phantom tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Tinfoil barb: Tinfoil barb can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with black phantom tetras?

Good tank mates for black phantom tetras include nerite snail, neon tetra, panda corydoras, bristlenose pleco, bronze corydoras and zebra danio. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat black phantom tetras.

Can black phantom tetras live with angelfish?

No. Angelfish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of angelfish are an easy target.

Can black phantom tetras live with bettas?

Sometimes, with care. Black phantom tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of bettas are an easy target.

Can black phantom tetras live with bristlenose plecos?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–26°C (72–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can black phantom tetras live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–26°C (72–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

How we decide: we compare each pair's comfortable temperature, pH and hardness ranges, adult sizes, mouth size (who can eat whom), fin nipping, aggression and territory. Read the full method. Data last reviewed 2026-10-13.