Cardinal tetra Tank Mates
Short answer: the best cardinal tetra tank mates are Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. Cardinal tetras need 73–84 °F (23–29 °C), pH 3.5–7.5 and at least 20 gallons. Keep them in a group of 6 or more.
Cardinal tetra care at a glance
| Adult size | 1.4 in (3.5 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 20 US gallons |
| Temperature | 73–84 °F (23–29 °C) |
| pH | 3.5–7.5 |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Swims in | Middle |
| Group size | Groups of 6+ |
| Care level | Moderate |
gallon tank
✅ Compatible tank mates (47)
- Betta fish
- Dwarf gourami
- Guppy
- Bristlenose pleco
- Harlequin rasbora
- Molly
- Neon tetra
- Platy
- Nerite snail
- Amano shrimp
- Celestial pearl danio
- Chili rasbora
- Ember tetra
- Endler's livebearer
- Mystery snail
- Otocinclus
- Panda cory
- Bronze cory
- Cherry barb
- German blue ram
- Glowlight tetra
- Honey gourami
- Kuhli loach
- Rummy nose tetra
- Zebra danio
- Swordtail
- Discus
- Rainbow shark
- Red tail shark
- Siamese algae eater
- Common pleco
- Clown loach
- Pygmy cory
- Sparkling gourami
- Black neon tetra
- Bloodfin tetra
- Dwarf neon rainbowfish
- Forktail blue-eye
- Glass catfish
- Lemon tetra
- Sterbai cory
- X-ray tetra
- Congo tetra
- Odessa barb
- Upside-down catfish
- Boesemani rainbowfish
- Bolivian ram
⚠️ Possible with caution (12)
- Cherry shrimp — Cardinal tetra will eat baby cherry shrimp (and some individuals hunt adults), so a shrimp colony may not grow. Dense plants and moss help.
- Tiger barb — Tiger barb may nip at calmer tankmates like cardinal tetra; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Black skirt tetra — Black skirt tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like cardinal tetra; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Serpae tetra — Serpae tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like cardinal tetra; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Kribensis — An adult kribensis (up to 10 cm) may try to eat smaller cardinal tetra (3.5 cm), especially at night.
- Pearl gourami — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) may try to eat smaller cardinal tetra (3.5 cm), especially at night.
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid — Cockatoo dwarf cichlid is a much larger territorial fish and may bully cardinal tetra.
- Peppered cory — Very narrow shared temperature range: Cardinal tetra 23–29 °C (73–84 °F) vs Peppered cory 20–24 °C (68–75 °F).
- Buenos Aires tetra — Buenos Aires tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like cardinal tetra; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Gold barb — Very narrow shared temperature range: Cardinal tetra 23–29 °C (73–84 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Rosy barb — Very narrow shared temperature range: Cardinal tetra 23–29 °C (73–84 °F) vs Rosy barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Chinese algae eater — Adult Chinese algae eater can latch onto other fish and rasp their slime coat.
❌ Not recommended (12)
- Fancy goldfish — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Cardinal tetra 23–29 °C (73–84 °F) vs Fancy goldfish 20–23 °C (68–73 °F).
- Angelfish — An adult angelfish (up to 15 cm) is big enough to eat cardinal tetra (3.5 cm).
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat cardinal tetra (3.5 cm).
- Pea puffer — Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful cardinal tetra.
- White cloud mountain minnow — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Cardinal tetra 23–29 °C (73–84 °F) vs White cloud mountain minnow 14–22 °C (57–72 °F).
- Three spot gourami — An adult three spot gourami (up to 15 cm) is big enough to eat cardinal tetra (3.5 cm).
- Electric yellow cichlid — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for cardinal tetra.
- Paradise fish — No comfortable shared temperature: Cardinal tetra 23–29 °C (73–84 °F) vs Paradise fish 10–22 °C (50–72 °F).
- Convict cichlid — An adult convict cichlid (up to 15 cm) is big enough to eat cardinal tetra (3.5 cm).
- Firemouth cichlid — An adult firemouth cichlid (up to 15 cm) is big enough to eat cardinal tetra (3.5 cm).
- Jack Dempsey — An adult Jack Dempsey (up to 25 cm) is big enough to eat cardinal tetra (3.5 cm).
- Bala shark — An adult bala shark (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat cardinal tetra (3.5 cm).
How many cardinal tetras per tank?
20 gal 29 gal 40 gal 55 gal 75 gal — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.
FAQ
What fish can live with cardinal tetras?
Good matches include Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. They share a temperature range with cardinal tetras (73–84 °F (23–29 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.
What fish should not live with cardinal tetras?
Avoid Fancy goldfish, Angelfish, Oscar, Pea puffer, White cloud mountain minnow, Three spot gourami.
What size tank do cardinal tetras need?
We recommend at least 20 US gallons for a group of 6 cardinal tetras, more if you add tank mates.
Can cardinal tetras live alone?
No. Cardinal tetras are social and should be kept in groups of at least 6.
Note: Compatibility depends on individual temperament, tank size, decor and how fish are introduced. Our verdicts use conservative rules applied to published care data (see methodology). They are guidance, not a guarantee. Quarantine new fish and watch for chasing, torn fins or hiding.