What are the best tank mates for Swordtail?

Top engine-approved picks: Sailfin Molly, Turquoise Rainbowfish, Molly, Figure-8 Puffer, Wrestling Halfbeak. Each shares a workable temperature and pH band with Swordtail and clears the temperament and predation checks in a spacious reference tank.

What fish should you avoid keeping with Swordtail?

The engine red-flags Adonis Pleco, Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid, Altum Angelfish among others — for incompatible water, temperament conflict or predation risk. The avoid list above states the specific reason for each pairing.

Swordtail care guide

Swordtail tank mates

Every recommendation below is computed, not copied: the AquaSage engine paired Swordtail (14 cm / 5.5 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 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F).

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

Best tank mates for Swordtail

Sailfin Molly

12.5 cm · 20–28°C

Turquoise Rainbowfish

11 cm · 20–26°C

Molly

10 cm · 24–28°C

Figure-8 Puffer

8 cm · 22–28°C

Wrestling Halfbeak

7 cm · 23–29°C

Guppy

6 cm · 22–28°C

Platy

6 cm · 18–26°C

Mystery Snail

5.5 cm · 18–28°C

1 more species passes every check:

Assassin Snail

Possible with care

Acei Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
African Butterfly Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
African Butterflyfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Agassiz's Cory— pH is a compromise for someone here
Amano Shrimp— pH is a compromise for someone here
Angelfish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Auratus Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Bamboo Shrimp— pH is a compromise for someone here
Banjo Catfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Black Neon Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Black Phantom Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Black Ruby Barb— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Black Skirt Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Bladder Snail— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Blood Parrot Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Bloodfin Tetra— pH is a compromise for someone here
Blue Acara— pH is a compromise for someone here
Blue Dolphin Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Blue Velvet Shrimp— pH is a compromise for someone here
Boesemani Rainbowfish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Bolivian Ram— pH is a compromise for someone here
Borleyi (Redfin Hap)— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Brevis Shell Dweller— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Brichardi (Fairy Cichlid)— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Bristlenose Pleco— pH is a compromise for someone here
Bronze Corydoras— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Buenos Aires Tetra— pH is a compromise for someone here
Buffalohead Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Bumblebee Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Bumblebee Goby— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Butterfly Hillstream Loach— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Calvus Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Celebes Rainbowfish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Cherry Barb— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Cherry Shrimp— pH is a compromise for someone here
Chinese Algae Eater— pH is a compromise for someone here
Chocolate Cichlid— 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
Cobalt Blue Zebra— pH is a compromise for someone here
Colombian Ramshorn Snail— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Compressiceps Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Congo Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Convict Cichlid— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
Cuckoo Catfish— pH is a compromise for someone here
Cylindricus Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Cyprichromis— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Demasoni Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Denison Barb— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Doctor Fish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Dogtooth Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Duboisi Tropheus— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Dwarf Chain Loach— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Dwarf Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish— pH is a compromise for someone here
Dwarf Orange Crayfish— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Dwarf Pea Puffer— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Dwarf Petricola Catfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Electric Blue Ahli— pH is a compromise for someone here
Electric Yellow Lab— pH is a compromise for someone here
Elephantnose Fish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Ellioti Cichlid— Setup needs adjustments for some species
Elongate Mbuna— pH is a compromise for someone here
Emerald Cory— pH is a compromise for someone here
Emperor Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Endler's Livebearer— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Even-spotted Synodontis— pH is a compromise for someone here
Featherfin Squeaker— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Firemouth Cichlid— Setup needs adjustments for some species
Five-bar Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Flame Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Forktail Rainbowfish— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Freshwater Clam— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Ghost Shrimp— Hardness (GH) is a compromise for someone here
Glowlight Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Goby Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Gold Barb— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Golden Dwarf Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Golden Julie— Everyone is close on pH — 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— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Green Spotted Pufferfish— pH is a compromise for someone here
Green Terror— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Honey Gourami— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Hongi Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Jack Dempsey— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
Japanese Trapdoor Snail— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Jewel Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Johanni Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Kenyi Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Keyhole Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Kissing Gourami— pH is a compromise for someone here
Kribensis— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Least Killifish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Lemon Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Lemon Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Leopard Danio— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Little Corydoras— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Livingstoni— pH is a compromise for someone here
Maingano Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Malawi Eyebiter— pH is a compromise for someone here
Malaysian Trumpet Snail— Some tankmates are at risk of being eaten
Marlieri Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Masked Julie— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Medaka Ricefish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Moonlight Gourami— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Multifasciatus Shell Dweller— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Nerite Snail— Hardness (GH) is a compromise for someone here
Ocellatus Shell Dweller— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Odessa Barb— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Otocinclus— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Paradise Fish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Paraguay Eartheater— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Peacock Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Pearl Danio— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Pearl Gourami— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Penguin Tetra— pH is a compromise for someone here
Peppered Corydoras— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Pictus Catfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Port Cichlid— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Powder Blue Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Rabbit Snail— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Rainbow Cichlid— Setup needs adjustments for some species
Rainbow Shark— pH is a compromise for someone here
Ramshorn Snail— Hardness (GH) is a compromise for someone here
Red Devil— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
Red Empress— pH is a compromise for someone here
Red Rainbowfish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Red Whiptail Catfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Red Zebra Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Red-Tail Shark— pH is a compromise for someone here
Redhead Cichlid— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Regan's Julie— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Rosy Barb— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Rubber Lip Pleco— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Rummynose Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Rusty Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Salvini Cichlid— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
Sand-sifting Xenotilapia— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Saulosi Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Scarlet Badis— pH is a compromise for someone here
Serpae Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Severum— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Siamese Algae Eater— pH is a compromise for someone here
Silver Moony— pH is a compromise for someone here
Silver Tip Tetra— pH is a compromise for someone here
Similis Shell Dweller— pH is a compromise for someone here
Spotted Hoplo— pH is a compromise for someone here
Star Sapphire— pH is a compromise for someone here
Sterbai Corydoras— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Striped Kribensis— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Striped Raphael Catfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Sunshine Peacock— pH is a compromise for someone here
T-Bar Cichlid— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Taiwan Reef Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
Texas Cichlid— Hardness (GH) is a compromise for someone here
Thai Micro Crab— 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 temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Threadfin Petrochromis— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Three-spot Gourami— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Tiger Barb— pH is a compromise for someone here
Tropheus— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
Upside-down Catfish— pH is a compromise for someone here
Vampire Shrimp— pH is a compromise for someone here
Venezuelan Cory— pH is a compromise for someone here
Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)— pH is a compromise for someone here
White Cloud Mountain Minnow— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
X-ray Tetra— pH is a compromise for someone here
Zebra Danio— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
Zebra Mbuna— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite

Avoid with Swordtail

Adonis Pleco— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Altum Angelfish— No pH value suits every species here
Bala Shark— Tank is too small for some species
Black Moor Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Blackline Rasbora— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Bleeding Heart Tetra— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Blue Tiger Shrimp— No hardness (GH) value suits every species here
Borneo Sucker— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Brichard's Teleogramma— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Cardinal Tetra— No pH value suits every species here
Celestial Pearl Danio— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Checkerboard Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Checkered Barb— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Chili Rasbora— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Chocolate Gourami— No pH value suits every species here
Clown Killifish— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Clown Loach— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Cochu's Blue Tetra— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Comet Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Common Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Common Pleco— Tank is too small for some species
Congo Dwarf Cichlid— No hardness (GH) value suits every species here
Crystal Red Shrimp— No pH value suits every species here
Demon Eartheater— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Diamond Tetra— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Discus— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Dojo (Weather) Loach— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Dwarf Flag Cichlid— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Dwarf Rasbora— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Ember Tetra— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Endlicheri Bichir— Tank is too small for some species
Fantail Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Festivum (Flag Cichlid)— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Frontosa— Tank is too small for some species
German Blue Ram— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Glass Catfish— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Glowlight Danio— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Green Discus— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Green Neon Tetra— No hardness (GH) value suits every species here
Harlequin Rasbora— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Heckel Discus— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Iridescent Shark— Tank is too small for some species
Jaguar Cichlid— Tank is too small for some species
Julii Cory— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Koi— No temperature suits every species here
Kuhli Loach— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Lambchop Rasbora— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Macmasteri Dwarf Cichlid— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Malawi Hawk— Tank is too small for some species
Marble Hatchetfish— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Neon Tetra— No hardness (GH) value suits every species here
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
Panda Corydoras— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Peaceful Betta— No hardness (GH) value suits every species here
Peacock Bass— Tank is too small for some species
Pike Cichlid— Tank is too small for some species
Polka Dot Loach— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Purple Emperor Tetra— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Pygmy Corydoras— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Ranchu Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Red Terror— Tank is too small for some species
Reticulated Flying Fox— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Reticulated Hillstream Loach— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Rostratus— Tank is too small for some species
Rosy Red Minnow— No temperature suits every species here
Rosy Tetra— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Royal Pleco— Tank is too small for some species
Ryukin Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Sailfin Pleco— Tank is too small for some species
Salt and Pepper Cory— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Scissortail Rasbora— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Shubunkin Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Silver Arowana— Tank is too small for some species
Skunk Cory— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Sparkling Gourami— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Strawberry Rasbora— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Sveni Eartheater— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Telescope Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
Threadfin Rainbowfish— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Uaru (Triangle Cichlid)— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
Wolf Cichlid— Tank is too small for some species
Yoyo Loach— Only one hardness (GH) value suits everyone — no margin
Zebra Pleco— Only one carbonate hardness (KH) value suits everyone — no margin

Frequently asked questions

What are the best tank mates for Swordtail?: Top engine-approved picks: Sailfin Molly, Turquoise Rainbowfish, Molly, Figure-8 Puffer, Wrestling Halfbeak. Each shares a workable temperature and pH band with Swordtail and clears the temperament and predation checks in a spacious reference tank.
What fish should you avoid keeping with Swordtail?: The engine red-flags Adonis Pleco, Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid, Altum Angelfish among others — for incompatible water, temperament conflict or predation risk. The avoid list above states the specific reason for each pairing.

Plan a Swordtail tank in the calculator