Swordtail Tank Mates
Short answer: the best swordtail tank mates are Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. Swordtails need 61–82 °F (16–28 °C), pH 7–8 and at least 30 gallons. Keep them in a group of 3 or more.
Swordtail care at a glance
| Adult size | 5.5 in (14 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 30 US gallons |
| Temperature | 61–82 °F (16–28 °C) |
| pH | 7–8 |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive |
| Swims in | Middle |
| Group size | Groups of 3+ |
| Care level | Easy |
✅ Compatible tank mates (59)
- Betta fish
- Dwarf gourami
- Guppy
- Bristlenose pleco
- Harlequin rasbora
- Molly
- Neon tetra
- Platy
- Tiger barb
- Angelfish
- Nerite snail
- Amano shrimp
- Celestial pearl danio
- Chili rasbora
- Ember tetra
- Endler's livebearer
- Mystery snail
- Otocinclus
- Panda cory
- Black skirt tetra
- Bronze cory
- Cardinal tetra
- Cherry barb
- Glowlight tetra
- Honey gourami
- Kuhli loach
- Rummy nose tetra
- Serpae tetra
- White cloud mountain minnow
- Zebra danio
- Kribensis
- Pearl gourami
- Three spot gourami
- 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
- Forktail blue-eye
- Glass catfish
- Lemon tetra
- Peppered cory
- Sterbai cory
- X-ray tetra
- Buenos Aires tetra
- Congo tetra
- Gold barb
- Odessa barb
- Rosy barb
- Upside-down catfish
- Firemouth cichlid
- Bolivian ram
⚠️ Possible with caution (9)
- Cherry shrimp — Swordtail will eat baby cherry shrimp (and some individuals hunt adults), so a shrimp colony may not grow. Dense plants and moss help.
- Fancy goldfish — Goldfish are coldwater fish that produce a lot of waste; they are usually kept only with other goldfish.
- Pea puffer — Pea puffer is aggressive; swordtail may get into fights with it.
- German blue ram — Very narrow shared temperature range: German blue ram 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Swordtail 16–28 °C (61–82 °F).
- Paradise fish — Paradise fish is aggressive; swordtail may get into fights with it.
- Convict cichlid — Convict cichlid is aggressive; swordtail may get into fights with it.
- Boesemani rainbowfish — Very narrow shared temperature range: Boesemani rainbowfish 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Swordtail 16–28 °C (61–82 °F).
- Chinese algae eater — Adult Chinese algae eater can latch onto other fish and rasp their slime coat.
- Bala shark — An adult bala shark (up to 35 cm) may try to eat smaller swordtail (14 cm), especially at night.
❌ Not recommended (3)
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat swordtail (14 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 swordtail.
- Jack Dempsey — Jack Dempsey is aggressive and much larger than swordtail; it will bully or injure it.
How many swordtails per tank?
40 gal 55 gal 75 gal — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.
FAQ
What fish can live with swordtails?
Good matches include Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. They share a temperature range with swordtails (61–82 °F (16–28 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.
What fish should not live with swordtails?
Avoid Oscar, Electric yellow cichlid, Jack Dempsey.
What size tank do swordtails need?
We recommend at least 30 US gallons for a group of 3 swordtails, more if you add tank mates.
Can swordtails live alone?
No. Swordtails are social and should be kept in groups of at least 3.