Ember tetra Tank Mates
Short answer: the best ember tetra tank mates are Cherry shrimp, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. Ember tetras need 68–82 °F (20–28 °C), pH 5–7 and at least 10 gallons. Keep them in a group of 8 or more.
Ember tetra care at a glance
| Adult size | 0.8 in (2 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 10 US gallons |
| Temperature | 68–82 °F (20–28 °C) |
| pH | 5–7 |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Swims in | Middle |
| Group size | Groups of 8+ |
| Care level | Easy |
gallon tank
✅ Compatible tank mates (48)
- Cherry shrimp
- Dwarf gourami
- Guppy
- Bristlenose pleco
- Harlequin rasbora
- Molly
- Neon tetra
- Platy
- Nerite snail
- Amano shrimp
- Celestial pearl danio
- Chili rasbora
- Endler's livebearer
- Otocinclus
- Panda cory
- Bronze cory
- Cardinal tetra
- Cherry barb
- Glowlight tetra
- Honey gourami
- Kuhli loach
- Rummy nose tetra
- White cloud mountain minnow
- 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
- Peppered cory
- Sterbai cory
- X-ray tetra
- Congo tetra
- Gold barb
- Odessa barb
- Rosy barb
- Upside-down catfish
- Bolivian ram
⚠️ Possible with caution (10)
- Betta fish — An adult betta fish (up to 7 cm) may try to eat smaller ember tetra (2 cm), especially at night.
- Tiger barb — Tiger barb may nip at calmer tankmates like ember tetra; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Mystery snail — pH preferences don't overlap (Ember tetra 5–7, Mystery snail 7.2–8.5). Captive-bred fish often adapt, but one of them will be outside its comfort zone.
- Black skirt tetra — Black skirt tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like ember tetra; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- German blue ram — Very narrow shared temperature range: Ember tetra 20–28 °C (68–82 °F) vs German blue ram 27–30 °C (81–86 °F).
- Serpae tetra — Serpae tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like ember tetra; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid — Cockatoo dwarf cichlid is a much larger territorial fish and may bully ember tetra.
- Buenos Aires tetra — Buenos Aires tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like ember tetra; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Boesemani rainbowfish — Very narrow shared temperature range: Boesemani rainbowfish 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Ember tetra 20–28 °C (68–82 °F).
- Chinese algae eater — Adult Chinese algae eater can latch onto other fish and rasp their slime coat.
❌ Not recommended (13)
- Fancy goldfish — An adult fancy goldfish (up to 20 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Angelfish — An adult angelfish (up to 15 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Pea puffer — Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful ember tetra.
- Kribensis — An adult kribensis (up to 10 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Pearl gourami — An adult pearl gourami (up to 12 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Three spot gourami — An adult three spot gourami (up to 15 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Electric yellow cichlid — An adult electric yellow cichlid (up to 10 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Paradise fish — An adult paradise fish (up to 10 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Convict cichlid — An adult convict cichlid (up to 15 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Firemouth cichlid — An adult firemouth cichlid (up to 15 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Jack Dempsey — An adult Jack Dempsey (up to 25 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Bala shark — An adult bala shark (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
How many ember tetras per tank?
10 gal 20 gal 29 gal 40 gal 55 gal 75 gal — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.
FAQ
What fish can live with ember tetras?
Good matches include Cherry shrimp, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. They share a temperature range with ember tetras (68–82 °F (20–28 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.
What fish should not live with ember tetras?
Avoid Fancy goldfish, Angelfish, Oscar, Pea puffer, Kribensis, Pearl gourami.
What size tank do ember tetras need?
We recommend at least 10 US gallons for a group of 8 ember tetras, more if you add tank mates.
Can ember tetras live alone?
No. Ember tetras are social and should be kept in groups of at least 8.
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.