Tank mates for buenos Aires tetras

We checked buenos Aires tetras against all 149 other species in our database for water temperature, pH, size, fin nipping, predation and aggression.

Good tank mates for buenos Aires tetras include nerite snail, bristlenose pleco, tiger barb, assassin snail, ramshorn snail and malaysian trumpet snail. Avoid angelfish, betta fish and cherry shrimp: buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of angelfish.

Buenos Aires tetras: 18–25°C (64–77°F), pH 6–8, adult size 7 cm (2.8 in), minimum tank 29 gallons (110 L). Full buenos aires tetra care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (25)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

Caution Possible, with care (95)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

  • Bronze corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like bronze corydoras.
  • Neon tetra · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like neon tetras.
  • Panda corydoras · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like panda corydoras.
  • Zebra danio · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like zebra danios.
  • African dwarf frog · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like African dwarf frogs.
  • Amano shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra hunts shrimp. Larger amano shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Black skirt tetra · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black skirt tetras.
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Blood parrot cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase buenos Aires tetras, which use the same area.
  • Cardinal tetra · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like cardinal tetras.
  • Celestial pearl danio · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like celestial pearl danios.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller celestial pearl danios.
  • Cherry barb · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like cherry barbs.
  • Chili rasbora · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like chili rasboras.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller chili rasboras.
  • Chinese algae eater · 80+ gal
    • Chinese algae eater is aggressive. Buenos Aires tetras can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–25°C).
  • Convict cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Convict cichlid is aggressive. Buenos Aires tetras can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
  • Dwarf neon rainbowfish · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like dwarf neon rainbowfish.
  • Ember tetra · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like ember tetras.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller ember tetras.
  • Firemouth cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Ghost shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra hunts shrimp. Larger ghost shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Glowlight tetra · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like glowlight tetras.
  • Harlequin rasbora · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like harlequin rasboras.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like hillstream loaches.
  • Jack Dempsey · 55+ gal
    • Jack Dempsey may eat buenos Aires tetras, especially young or small ones.
    • Jack Dempsey is aggressive. Buenos Aires tetras can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
  • Julii corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like julii corydoras.
  • Kribensis · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Kuhli loach · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like kuhli loaches.
  • Molly · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like mollies.
  • Otocinclus · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like otocinclus.
  • Peppered corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like peppered corydoras.
  • Platy · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like platies.
  • Pygmy corydoras · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like pygmy corydoras.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like rosy barbs.
  • Rummy-nose tetra · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like rummy-nose tetras.
  • Silver dollar · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Sterbai corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like sterbai corydoras.
  • White cloud mountain minnow · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like white cloud mountain minnows.
  • X-ray tetra · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like x-ray tetras.
  • Yoyo loach · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–25°C).
  • Bamboo shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra hunts shrimp. Larger bamboo shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Black neon tetra · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black neon tetras.
  • Black phantom tetra · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black phantom tetras.
  • Bleeding heart tetra · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like bleeding heart tetras.
  • Bloodfin tetra · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like bloodfin tetras.
  • Bolivian ram · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like Bolivian rams.
  • Bumblebee catfish · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like bumblebee catfish.
  • Clown killifish · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like clown killifish.
  • Clown pleco · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like clown plecos.
  • Cockatoo cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Diamond tetra · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like diamond tetras.
  • Dwarf chain loach · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like dwarf chain loaches.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra may attack small crustaceans like dwarf orange crayfish, especially after they molt.
  • Emerald green corydoras · 55+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like emerald green corydoras.
  • Emperor tetra · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like emperor tetras.
  • Endler's livebearer · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like Endler's livebearers.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller Endler's livebearers.
  • Forktail blue-eye · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like forktail blue-eyes.
  • Giant danio · 55+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like giant danios.
  • Glass catfish · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like glass catfish.
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like gold barbs.
  • Green terror · 80+ gal
    • Green terror may eat buenos Aires tetras, especially young or small ones.
    • Green terror is aggressive. Buenos Aires tetras can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
    • Green terror defends its patch of the tank and may chase buenos Aires tetras, which use the same area.
  • Head and tail light tetra · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like head and tail light tetras.
  • Jewel cichlid · 40+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Jewel cichlid is aggressive. Buenos Aires tetras can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
    • Jewel cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase buenos Aires tetras, which use the same area.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Kubotai rasbora · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like kubotai rasboras.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller kubotai rasboras.
  • Lambchop rasbora · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like lambchop rasboras.
  • Lemon tetra · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like lemon tetras.
  • Marbled hatchetfish · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like marbled hatchetfish.
  • Odessa barb · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like odessa barbs.
  • Panda garra · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like panda garras.
  • Peacock gudgeon · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like peacock gudgeons.
  • Penguin tetra · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like penguin tetras.
  • Rabbit snail · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–25°C).
  • Red rainbowfish · 40+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Ropefish · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Rosy loach · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like rosy loaches.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller rosy loaches.
  • Rosy tetra · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like rosy tetras.
  • Scarlet badis · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like scarlet badis.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
  • Severum · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Severum defends its patch of the tank and may chase buenos Aires tetras, which use the same area.
  • Sparkling gourami · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like sparkling gouramis.
  • Thai micro crab · 5+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra may attack small crustaceans like Thai micro crabs, especially after they molt.
  • Tinfoil barb · 200+ gal
    • Tinfoil barb may eat buenos Aires tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Upside-down catfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like upside-down catfish.
  • Vampire shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra hunts shrimp. Larger vampire shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Zebra loach · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like zebra loaches.
  • Black ruby barb · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black ruby barbs.
  • Checkerboard barb · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like checkerboard barbs.
  • Dwarf rasbora · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like dwarf rasboras.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller dwarf rasboras.
  • Flame tetra · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like flame tetras.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
  • Glowlight danio · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like glowlight danios.
  • Green neon tetra · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like green neon tetras.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller green neon tetras.
  • Keyhole cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like keyhole cichlids.
  • Least killifish · 10+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like least killifish.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller least killifish.
  • Pearl danio · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like pearl danios.
  • Silvertip tetra · 20+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like silvertip tetras.
  • Variatus platy · 15+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like variatus platies.

Avoid Bad tank mates (29)

  • Angelfish: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of angelfish.
  • Betta fish: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of bettas.
  • Cherry shrimp: Buenos Aires tetra eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
  • Dwarf gourami: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of dwarf gouramis.
  • Fancy goldfish: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of fancy goldfish.
  • Guppy: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of guppies.
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat buenos Aires tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Boesemani rainbowfish: They need different temperatures: Buenos Aires tetra 18–25°C (64–77°F), boesemani rainbowfish 26–29°C (79–84°F).
  • Discus: They need different temperatures: Buenos Aires tetra 18–25°C (64–77°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
  • Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Buenos Aires tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • German blue ram: They need different temperatures: Buenos Aires tetra 18–25°C (64–77°F), german blue ram 27–30°C (81–86°F).
  • Honey gourami: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of honey gouramis.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Buenos Aires tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Pearl gourami: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of pearl gouramis.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Buenos Aires tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat buenos Aires tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Three spot gourami: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of three spot gouramis.
  • African butterfly fish: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of african butterfly fish.
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat buenos Aires tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Congo tetra: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of Congo tetras.
  • Crystal red shrimp: Buenos Aires tetra eats small shrimp like crystal red shrimp.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Buenos Aires tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat buenos Aires tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Buenos Aires tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Shell dweller cichlid: Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Buenos Aires tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Threadfin rainbowfish: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of threadfin rainbowfish.
  • Zebra pleco: They need different temperatures: Buenos Aires tetra 18–25°C (64–77°F), zebra pleco 26–30°C (79–86°F).
  • Moonlight gourami: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of moonlight gouramis.
  • Thick-lipped gourami: Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of thick-lipped gouramis.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with buenos Aires tetras?

Good tank mates for buenos Aires tetras include nerite snail, bristlenose pleco, tiger barb, assassin snail, ramshorn snail and malaysian trumpet snail. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat buenos Aires tetras.

Can buenos Aires tetras live with angelfish?

No. Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of angelfish. Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).

Can buenos Aires tetras live with bettas?

No. Buenos Aires tetra is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of bettas. Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).

Can buenos Aires tetras live with bristlenose plecos?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–25°C (72–77°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can buenos Aires tetras live with bronze corydoras?

Sometimes, with care. Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like bronze corydoras.

How we decide: we compare each pair's comfortable temperature, pH and hardness ranges, adult sizes, mouth size (who can eat whom), fin nipping, aggression and territory. Read the full method. Data last reviewed 2026-10-13.