What are the best tank mates for Cardinal Tetra?

Top engine-approved picks: Marble Hatchetfish, Chocolate Gourami, Dwarf Rasbora, Green Neon Tetra, Chili Rasbora. Each shares a workable temperature and pH band with Cardinal Tetra and clears the temperament and predation checks in a spacious reference tank.

What fish should you avoid keeping with Cardinal Tetra?

The engine red-flags Acei Cichlid, Adonis Pleco, African Butterflyfish among others — for incompatible water, temperament conflict or predation risk. The avoid list above states the specific reason for each pairing.

Cardinal Tetra care guide

Cardinal Tetra tank mates

Every recommendation below is computed, not copied: the AquaSage engine paired Cardinal Tetra (4.5 cm / 1.8 in, peaceful) with 271 fish and invertebrates in a spacious reference tank and scored each pair for water-parameter overlap, temperament, predation and husbandry. A species makes the green list only when every check passes at 23–29 °C (73.4–84.2 °F).

Verdicts by the AquaSage engine v0.1.2 in a 450 L reference tank. Read the full methodology →

Best tank mates for Cardinal Tetra

Marble Hatchetfish

3.5 cm · 22–28°C

Chocolate Gourami

6 cm · 24–30°C

Dwarf Rasbora

2.5 cm · 22–28°C

Green Neon Tetra

2.5 cm · 23–30°C

Chili Rasbora

2 cm · 24–28°C

Ember Tetra

2 cm · 22–28°C

Strawberry Rasbora

2 cm · 20–28°C

Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid

8 cm · 23–29°C

Checkerboard Cichlid

9 cm · 24–30°C

Possible with care

African Butterfly Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Agassiz's Cory— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Altum Angelfish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Banjo Catfish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Black Neon Tetra— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Black Phantom Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Black Ruby Barb— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Black Skirt Tetra— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Blackline Rasbora— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Bleeding Heart Tetra— pH is a compromise for someone here
Bloodfin Tetra— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Blue Tiger Shrimp— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Bolivian Ram— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Borneo Sucker— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Brichard's Teleogramma— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Bristlenose Pleco— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Bronze Corydoras— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Buenos Aires Tetra— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Buffalohead Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Checkered Barb— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Cherry Barb— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Chinese Algae Eater— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Chocolate Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Clown Killifish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Clown Pleco— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Cochu's Blue Tetra— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Congo Dwarf Cichlid— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Congo Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Crystal Red Shrimp— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Diamond Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Discus— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Doctor Fish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Dojo (Weather) Loach— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Dwarf Chain Loach— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Dwarf Flag Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Dwarf Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Elephantnose Fish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Emerald Cory— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Emperor Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Festivum (Flag Cichlid)— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Flame Tetra— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
German Blue Ram— pH is a compromise for someone here
Glass Catfish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Glowlight Danio— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Glowlight Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Gold Barb— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Golden Dwarf Cichlid— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Golden Pencilfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Golden Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Golden Wonder Killifish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Green Discus— pH is a compromise for someone here
Harlequin Rasbora— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Heckel Discus— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Honey Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Julii Cory— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Keyhole Cichlid— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Kissing Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Kribensis— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Kuhli Loach— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Lambchop Rasbora— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Lemon Tetra— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Leopard Danio— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Little Corydoras— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Macmasteri Dwarf Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Moonlight Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Neon Tetra— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Otocinclus— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Panda Corydoras— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Paradise Fish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Paraguay Eartheater— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Peaceful Betta— pH is a compromise for someone here
Pearl Danio— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Pearl Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Penguin Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Peppered Corydoras— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Pictus Catfish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Polka Dot Loach— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Port Cichlid— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Purple Emperor Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Pygmy Corydoras— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Red Whiptail Catfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Red-Tail Shark— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Rosy Barb— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Rosy Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Rummynose Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Salt and Pepper Cory— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Scarlet Badis— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Scissortail Rasbora— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Serpae Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Severum— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Siamese Algae Eater— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Silver Tip Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Skunk Cory— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Sparkling Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Spotted Hoplo— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Sterbai Corydoras— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Striped Kribensis— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Sveni Eartheater— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Thick-lipped Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Threadfin Acara— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Threadfin Rainbowfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Three-spot Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Tiger Barb— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Uaru (Triangle Cichlid)— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Upside-down Catfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Venezuelan Cory— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
White Cloud Mountain Minnow— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
X-ray Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Yoyo Loach— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Zebra Danio— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Zebra Pleco— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite

Avoid with Cardinal Tetra

Acei Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Adonis Pleco— Tank is too small for some species
African Butterflyfish— A predator will eat a tankmate
Amano Shrimp— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Angelfish— A predator will eat a tankmate
Assassin Snail— No pH value suits every species here
Auratus Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Bala Shark— Tank is too small for some species
Bamboo Shrimp— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Black Moor Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Bladder Snail— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Blood Parrot Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Blue Acara— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Blue Dolphin Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Blue Velvet Shrimp— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Boesemani Rainbowfish— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Borleyi (Redfin Hap)— No pH value suits every species here
Brevis Shell Dweller— No pH value suits every species here
Brichardi (Fairy Cichlid)— No pH value suits every species here
Bumblebee Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Bumblebee Goby— No pH value suits every species here
Butterfly Hillstream Loach— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Calvus Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Celebes Rainbowfish— No pH value suits every species here
Celestial Pearl Danio— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Cherry Shrimp— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Clown Loach— Tank is too small for some species
Cobalt Blue Zebra— No pH value suits every species here
Colombian Ramshorn Snail— No pH value suits every species here
Comet Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Common Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Common Pleco— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Compressiceps Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Convict Cichlid— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Cuckoo Catfish— No pH value suits every species here
Cylindricus Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Cyprichromis— No pH value suits every species here
Demasoni Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Demon Eartheater— Tank is too small for some species
Denison Barb— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Dogtooth Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Duboisi Tropheus— No pH value suits every species here
Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Dwarf Orange Crayfish— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Dwarf Pea Puffer— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Dwarf Petricola Catfish— No pH value suits every species here
Electric Blue Ahli— No pH value suits every species here
Electric Yellow Lab— No pH value suits every species here
Ellioti Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Elongate Mbuna— No pH value suits every species here
Endler's Livebearer— No pH value suits every species here
Endlicheri Bichir— Tank is too small for some species
Even-spotted Synodontis— No pH value suits every species here
Fantail Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Featherfin Squeaker— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Figure-8 Puffer— No pH value suits every species here
Firemouth Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Five-bar Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Forktail Rainbowfish— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Freshwater Clam— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Frontosa— No pH value suits every species here
Ghost Shrimp— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Goby Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Golden Julie— No pH value suits every species here
Green Spotted Pufferfish— No pH value suits every species here
Green Terror— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Guppy— No pH value suits every species here
Hongi Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Iridescent Shark— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Jack Dempsey— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Jaguar Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Japanese Trapdoor Snail— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Jewel Cichlid— A predator will eat a tankmate
Johanni Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Kenyi Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Koi— No temperature suits every species here
Least Killifish— No pH value suits every species here
Lemon Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Livingstoni— No pH value suits every species here
Maingano Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Malawi Eyebiter— No pH value suits every species here
Malawi Hawk— No pH value suits every species here
Malaysian Trumpet Snail— No pH value suits every species here
Marlieri Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Masked Julie— No pH value suits every species here
Medaka Ricefish— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Molly— No pH value suits every species here
Multifasciatus Shell Dweller— No pH value suits every species here
Mystery Snail— No pH value suits every species here
Nerite Snail— No pH value suits every species here
Ocellatus Shell Dweller— No pH value suits every species here
Odessa Barb— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Oranda Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Ornate Bichir— Tank is too small for some species
Oscar— Tank is too small for some species
Peacock Bass— Tank is too small for some species
Peacock Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Pike Cichlid— Tank is too small for some species
Platy— No pH value suits every species here
Powder Blue Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Rabbit Snail— No pH value suits every species here
Rainbow Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Rainbow Shark— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Ramshorn Snail— No pH value suits every species here
Ranchu Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Red Devil— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Red Empress— No pH value suits every species here
Red Rainbowfish— No pH value suits every species here
Red Terror— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Red Zebra Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Redhead Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Regan's Julie— No pH value suits every species here
Reticulated Flying Fox— Tank is too small for some species
Reticulated Hillstream Loach— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Rostratus— No pH value suits every species here
Rosy Red Minnow— No temperature suits every species here
Royal Pleco— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Rubber Lip Pleco— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Rusty Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Ryukin Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Sailfin Molly— No pH value suits every species here
Sailfin Pleco— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Salvini Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Sand-sifting Xenotilapia— No pH value suits every species here
Saulosi Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Shubunkin Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Silver Arowana— Tank is too small for some species
Silver Moony— No pH value suits every species here
Similis Shell Dweller— No pH value suits every species here
Star Sapphire— No pH value suits every species here
Striped Raphael Catfish— A predator will eat a tankmate
Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp— No pH value suits every species here
Sunshine Peacock— No pH value suits every species here
Swordtail— No pH value suits every species here
T-Bar Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Taiwan Reef Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Telescope Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Texas Cichlid— A predator will eat a tankmate
Thai Micro Crab— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Threadfin Petrochromis— No pH value suits every species here
Tropheus— No pH value suits every species here
Turquoise Rainbowfish— No pH value suits every species here
Vampire Shrimp— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)— No pH value suits every species here
Wolf Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
Wrestling Halfbeak— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Zebra Mbuna— No pH value suits every species here

Frequently asked questions

What are the best tank mates for Cardinal Tetra?: Top engine-approved picks: Marble Hatchetfish, Chocolate Gourami, Dwarf Rasbora, Green Neon Tetra, Chili Rasbora. Each shares a workable temperature and pH band with Cardinal Tetra and clears the temperament and predation checks in a spacious reference tank.
What fish should you avoid keeping with Cardinal Tetra?: The engine red-flags Acei Cichlid, Adonis Pleco, African Butterflyfish among others — for incompatible water, temperament conflict or predation risk. The avoid list above states the specific reason for each pairing.

Plan a Cardinal Tetra tank in the calculator