Tank mates for black skirt tetras

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

Good tank mates for black skirt tetras include nerite snail, neon tetra, panda corydoras, bristlenose pleco, bronze corydoras and zebra danio. Avoid cherry shrimp, oscar and chinese algae eater: black skirt tetra eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.

Black skirt tetras: 22–26°C (72–79°F), pH 6–7.5, adult size 6 cm (2.4 in), minimum tank 20 gallons (76 L). Full black skirt 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 (43)

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

  • Angelfish · 29+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of angelfish are an easy target.
    • Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black skirt tetras.
  • Betta fish · 5+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of bettas are an easy target.
  • Common goldfish · 75+ 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.
  • Dwarf gourami · 15+ gal
    • Black skirt 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 skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of fancy goldfish are an easy target.
  • Guppy · 10+ gal
    • Black skirt 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 skirt tetras.
  • Amano shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra hunts shrimp. Larger amano shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Bala shark · 230+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat black skirt tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Blood parrot cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black skirt tetras.
    • Blood parrot cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase black skirt tetras, which use the same area.
  • Boesemani rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–26°C).
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Clown loach grows much larger than black skirt tetras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • 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.
  • Electric blue acara · 40+ gal
    • Electric blue acara may eat black skirt tetras, especially young or small ones.
    • Electric blue acara is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black skirt tetras.
  • Firemouth cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Firemouth cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black skirt tetras.
  • Ghost shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Black skirt 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 skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Pearl gourami · 29+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Pictus catfish · 75+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat black skirt tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black skirt 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 skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of three spot gouramis are an easy target.
  • 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.
  • African butterfly fish · 29+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of african butterfly fish are an easy target.
  • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
  • Bamboo shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Black skirt 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 skirt tetras.
  • Congo tetra · 40+ gal
    • Black skirt 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 skirt 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 skirt tetras.
  • Paradise fish · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Rabbit snail · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
  • Ropefish · 75+ gal
    • Ropefish may eat black skirt tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Serpae tetra · 20+ gal
    • Serpae tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black skirt tetras.
  • Severum · 55+ gal
    • Severum may eat black skirt tetras, especially young or small ones.
    • Severum is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black skirt tetras.
    • Severum defends its patch of the tank and may chase black skirt tetras, which use the same area.
  • Thai micro crab · 5+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra may attack small crustaceans like Thai micro crabs, especially after they molt.
  • Threadfin rainbowfish · 20+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of threadfin rainbowfish are an easy target.
  • Vampire shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra hunts shrimp. Larger vampire shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Zebra pleco · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–26°C).
  • Moonlight gourami · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of moonlight gouramis are an easy target.
  • Thick-lipped gourami · 20+ gal
    • Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of thick-lipped gouramis are an easy target.

Avoid Bad tank mates (20)

  • Cherry shrimp: Black skirt tetra eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat black skirt 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 skirt tetras.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black skirt tetras.
  • Discus: They need different temperatures: Black skirt tetra 22–26°C (72–79°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
  • 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 skirt tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • German blue ram: They need different temperatures: Black skirt tetra 22–26°C (72–79°F), german blue ram 27–30°C (81–86°F).
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey can eat black skirt 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 skirt tetras.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black skirt 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 skirt tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black skirt 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 skirt tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat black skirt tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat black skirt tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Crystal red shrimp: Black skirt tetra eats small shrimp like crystal red shrimp.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black skirt 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 skirt tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat black skirt 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 skirt tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Green terror: Green terror can eat black skirt 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 skirt tetras.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black skirt tetras.
  • 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 skirt tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Tinfoil barb: Tinfoil barb can eat black skirt tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with black skirt tetras?

Good tank mates for black skirt 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 skirt tetras.

Can black skirt tetras live with angelfish?

Sometimes, with care. Black skirt tetra sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of angelfish are an easy target. Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black skirt tetras.

Can black skirt tetras live with bettas?

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

Can black skirt tetras live with bristlenose plecos?

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

Can black skirt 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.