Forktail blue-eye Tank Mates
Short answer: the best forktail blue-eye tank mates are Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. Forktail blue-eyes need 75–82 °F (24–28 °C), pH 7–8 and at least 20 gallons. Keep them in a group of 6 or more.
Forktail blue-eye care at a glance
| Adult size | 2.4 in (6 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 20 US gallons |
| Temperature | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) |
| pH | 7–8 |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Swims in | Top |
| Group size | Groups of 6+ |
| Care level | Moderate |
gallon tank
✅ Compatible tank mates (47)
- Betta fish
- Dwarf gourami
- Guppy
- Bristlenose pleco
- Harlequin rasbora
- Molly
- Platy
- Tiger barb
- Amano shrimp
- Celestial pearl danio
- Chili rasbora
- Ember tetra
- Endler's livebearer
- Mystery snail
- Otocinclus
- Black skirt tetra
- Bronze cory
- Cardinal tetra
- Cherry barb
- Glowlight tetra
- Honey gourami
- Kuhli loach
- Rummy nose tetra
- Serpae tetra
- Kribensis
- Pearl gourami
- Swordtail
- Discus
- Rainbow shark
- Red tail shark
- Siamese algae eater
- Common pleco
- Clown loach
- Pygmy cory
- Sparkling gourami
- Black neon tetra
- Bloodfin tetra
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
- Dwarf neon rainbowfish
- Glass catfish
- Lemon tetra
- Sterbai cory
- X-ray tetra
- Buenos Aires tetra
- Congo tetra
- Upside-down catfish
- Bolivian ram
⚠️ Possible with caution (12)
- Cherry shrimp — Forktail blue-eye will eat baby cherry shrimp (and some individuals hunt adults), so a shrimp colony may not grow. Dense plants and moss help.
- Neon tetra — Very narrow shared temperature range: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Neon tetra 21–25 °C (70–77 °F).
- Angelfish — An adult angelfish (up to 15 cm) may try to eat smaller forktail blue-eye (6 cm), especially at night.
- Nerite snail — Very narrow shared temperature range: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Nerite snail 22–25 °C (72–77 °F).
- Panda cory — Very narrow shared temperature range: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Panda cory 22–25 °C (72–77 °F).
- German blue ram — Very narrow shared temperature range: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs German blue ram 27–30 °C (81–86 °F).
- Zebra danio — Very narrow shared temperature range: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Zebra danio 18–25 °C (64–77 °F).
- Three spot gourami — An adult three spot gourami (up to 15 cm) may try to eat smaller forktail blue-eye (6 cm), especially at night.
- Odessa barb — Very narrow shared temperature range: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Odessa barb 16–25 °C (61–77 °F).
- Firemouth cichlid — An adult firemouth cichlid (up to 15 cm) may try to eat smaller forktail blue-eye (6 cm), especially at night.
- Boesemani rainbowfish — Very narrow shared temperature range: Boesemani rainbowfish 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °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: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Fancy goldfish 20–23 °C (68–73 °F).
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat forktail blue-eye (6 cm).
- Pea puffer — Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful forktail blue-eye.
- White cloud mountain minnow — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs White cloud mountain minnow 14–22 °C (57–72 °F).
- 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 forktail blue-eye.
- Paradise fish — No comfortable shared temperature: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Paradise fish 10–22 °C (50–72 °F).
- Peppered cory — No comfortable shared temperature: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Peppered cory 20–24 °C (68–75 °F).
- Convict cichlid — Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully peaceful forktail blue-eye.
- Gold barb — No comfortable shared temperature: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Rosy barb — No comfortable shared temperature: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Rosy barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Jack Dempsey — An adult Jack Dempsey (up to 25 cm) is big enough to eat forktail blue-eye (6 cm).
- Bala shark — An adult bala shark (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat forktail blue-eye (6 cm).
How many forktail blue-eyes 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 forktail blue-eyes?
Good matches include Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. They share a temperature range with forktail blue-eyes (75–82 °F (24–28 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.
What fish should not live with forktail blue-eyes?
Avoid Fancy goldfish, Oscar, Pea puffer, White cloud mountain minnow, Electric yellow cichlid, Paradise fish.
What size tank do forktail blue-eyes need?
We recommend at least 20 US gallons for a group of 6 forktail blue-eyes, more if you add tank mates.
Can forktail blue-eyes live alone?
No. Forktail blue-eyes 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.