Tank mates for x-ray tetras

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

Good tank mates for x-ray tetras include betta fish, cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami and bristlenose pleco. Avoid common goldfish, fancy goldfish and oscar: they need different temperatures: X-ray tetra 24–28°C (75–82°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F).

X-ray tetras: 24–28°C (75–82°F), pH 6–7.5, adult size 4.5 cm (1.8 in), minimum tank 15 gallons (57 L). Full x-ray tetra care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (84)

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

Caution Possible, with care (40)

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

  • Angelfish · 29+ gal
    • Angelfish may eat x-ray tetras, especially young or small ones.
    • Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.
  • Neon tetra · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Panda corydoras · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Tiger barb · 29+ gal
    • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like x-ray tetras.
  • Zebra danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Blood parrot cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.
    • Blood parrot cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase x-ray tetras, which use the same area.
  • Celestial pearl danio · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Clown loach grows much larger than x-ray tetras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Denison barb · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Discus · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 28–28°C).
  • Firemouth cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Firemouth cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.
  • German blue ram · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 27–28°C).
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kribensis · 29+ gal
    • Kribensis is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.
  • Peppered corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.
  • Red-tail shark · 75+ gal
    • Red-tail shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Three spot gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.
  • African butterfly fish · 29+ gal
    • African butterfly fish may eat x-ray tetras, especially young or small ones.
    • African butterfly fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.
  • Buenos Aires 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 x-ray tetras.
  • Bumblebee catfish · 20+ gal
    • Bumblebee catfish may eat x-ray tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Crystal red shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Gardneri killifish · 10+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Giant danio · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Golden wonder killifish · 20+ gal
    • Golden wonder killifish may eat x-ray tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Kissing gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.
    • Kissing gourami grows much larger than x-ray tetras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Odessa barb · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Panda garra · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Paradise fish · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Rubber lip pleco · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Scissortail rasbora · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Serpae tetra · 20+ gal
    • Serpae tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like x-ray tetras.
  • Turquoise rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Checkerboard barb · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Glowlight danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–24°C).
  • Pearl danio · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Variatus platy · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.

Avoid Bad tank mates (25)

  • Common goldfish: They need different temperatures: X-ray tetra 24–28°C (75–82°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F).
  • Fancy goldfish: They need different temperatures: X-ray tetra 24–28°C (75–82°F), fancy goldfish 18–23°C (64–73°F).
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bala shark: Bala shark can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful x-ray tetras.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful x-ray tetras.
  • Dojo loach: They need different temperatures: X-ray tetra 24–28°C (75–82°F), dojo loach 18–23°C (64–73°F).
  • Electric blue acara: Electric blue acara can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • 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. X-ray tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful x-ray tetras.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful x-ray tetras. 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. X-ray tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Pictus catfish: Pictus catfish can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful x-ray tetras. 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. X-ray tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • White cloud mountain minnow: They need different temperatures: X-ray tetra 24–28°C (75–82°F), white cloud mountain minnow 16–22°C (61–72°F).
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful x-ray tetras. 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. X-ray tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat x-ray 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. X-ray tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Green terror: Green terror can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful x-ray tetras.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful x-ray tetras.
  • Ropefish: Ropefish can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Severum: Severum can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • 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. X-ray tetras don't belong in that setup.
  • Tinfoil barb: Tinfoil barb can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with x-ray tetras?

Good tank mates for x-ray tetras include betta fish, cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami and bristlenose pleco. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat x-ray tetras.

Can x-ray tetras live with angelfish?

Sometimes, with care. Angelfish may eat x-ray tetras, especially young or small ones. Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller x-ray tetras.

Can x-ray tetras live with bettas?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–28°C (75–82°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can x-ray tetras live with bristlenose plecos?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–26°C (75–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can x-ray tetras live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–26°C (75–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

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.