Tank mates for flame tetras

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

Good tank mates for flame tetras include cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami, neon tetra and panda corydoras. Avoid angelfish, common goldfish and fancy goldfish: angelfish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Flame tetras: 22–26°C (72–79°F), pH 6–7.5, adult size 3 cm (1.2 in), minimum tank 15 gallons (57 L). Full flame tetra care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (91)

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

Caution Possible, with care (26)

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

  • Betta fish · 5+ gal
    • Betta fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
  • Tiger barb · 29+ gal
    • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like flame tetras.
    • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
  • 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 flame 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.
    • Dojo loach grows much larger than flame tetras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kribensis · 29+ gal
    • Kribensis is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
    • Rainbow shark grows much larger than flame tetras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Red-tail shark · 75+ gal
    • Red-tail shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Siamese algae eater · 55+ gal
    • Siamese algae eater grows much larger than flame tetras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Three spot gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame 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.
  • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
  • Buenos Aires tetra · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like flame tetras.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
  • Cockatoo cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Cockatoo cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Giant danio · 55+ gal
    • Giant danio may eat flame tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • 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 flame tetras.
    • Kissing gourami grows much larger than flame 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.
    • Paradise fish may eat flame tetras, especially young or small ones.
    • Paradise fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
  • Rabbit snail · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
  • Serpae tetra · 20+ gal
    • Serpae tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like flame tetras.
  • Upside-down catfish · 29+ gal
    • Upside-down catfish may eat flame tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • 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).
    • Moonlight gourami may eat flame tetras, especially young or small ones.

Avoid Bad tank mates (32)

  • Angelfish: Angelfish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Common goldfish: Common goldfish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Fancy goldfish: Fancy goldfish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bala shark: Bala shark can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Blood parrot cichlid: Blood parrot cichlid can eat flame 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 flame tetras.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful flame tetras.
  • Discus: They need different temperatures: Flame tetra 22–26°C (72–79°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
  • Electric blue acara: Electric blue acara can eat flame 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. Flame tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Firemouth cichlid: Firemouth cichlid can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • German blue ram: They need different temperatures: Flame tetra 22–26°C (72–79°F), german blue ram 27–30°C (81–86°F).
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful flame tetras.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful flame tetras. Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. 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. Flame tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Pictus catfish: Pictus catfish can eat flame 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 flame 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. Flame tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Silver dollar: Silver dollar can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • African butterfly fish: African butterfly fish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bumblebee catfish: Bumblebee catfish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful flame 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. Flame tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat flame 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. Flame tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Golden wonder killifish: Golden wonder killifish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Green terror: Green terror can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful flame tetras.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful flame tetras.
  • Ropefish: Ropefish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Severum: Severum can eat flame 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. Flame tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Tinfoil barb: Tinfoil barb can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with flame tetras?

Good tank mates for flame tetras include cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami, neon tetra and panda corydoras. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat flame tetras.

Can flame tetras live with angelfish?

No. Angelfish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.

Can flame tetras live with bettas?

Sometimes, with care. Betta fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.

Can flame tetras live with bristlenose plecos?

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

Can flame 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.