Firefish Tank Mates
Firefish is peaceful, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 5 freshwater species that pair well with a firefish — plus the 0 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.
The best tank mates for a firefish
- Clown Goby ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Neon Goby ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Ocellaris Clownfish ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Percula Clownfish ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Yellow Watchman Goby ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
Firefish tank mates that can work with care
- Banggai Cardinalfish ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Bicolor Angelfish ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 75 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Bicolor Blenny ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Blue Damselfish ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Blue Tang ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 30 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 75 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Clarkii Clownfish ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 14 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Cleaner Wrasse ⚠️ With cautionHard care · Peaceful · 11 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 75 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Coral Beauty Angelfish ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 75 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
+ 21 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.
Fish to avoid keeping with a firefish
No outright no-gos among the species in our database yet — but always avoid fish much larger, much more aggressive, or needing very different water.
Check any fish against a firefish
Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a firefish, with the reasoning for each verdict.
Will it live with a Firefish?
We compare each fish against your firefish on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Clown Goby✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Neon Goby✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Ocellaris Clownfish✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Percula Clownfish✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Yellow Watchman Goby✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Banggai Cardinalfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Bicolor Blenny⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Blue Damselfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Clarkii Clownfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 14 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Cleaner Wrasse⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 11 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Coral Beauty Angelfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Domino Damselfish⚠️ With cautionAggressive · 14 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Flame Angelfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~280 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Green Chromis⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Green Chromis in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Lawnmower Blenny⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 13 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Mandarin Dragonet⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Melanurus Wrasse⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Royal Gramma⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Six Line Wrasse⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Tomato Clownfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 14 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Yellow Coris Wrasse⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Setting up a firefish community tank
Give the group a stable, planted 75 L+ tank with a gentle filter, a reliable heater and plenty of cover — broken sight lines and hiding spots let mid-water and bottom dwellers keep out of each other's way. Cycle it fully and stock gradually.
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How to choose the right tank mates for a firefish
As a peaceful species, firefish is easily bullied — favour other calm, non-nippy fish and steer clear of boisterous or aggressive tank mates. It mostly occupies the bottom of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.
Firefish grows to about 8 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 4 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 24–27 °C (75–81 °F), pH 8–8.4 and 8–12 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.
Firefish doesn't need its own kind to feel secure; think twice before keeping more than one if it is territorial. Whatever you add, introduce new fish slowly, watch for bullying in the first days, and have a backup plan if temperaments clash.
Frequently asked questions
Can a firefish live with other fish?
Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 5 compatible freshwater species for firefish. Pick calm, similarly-sized fish that share its water needs and add them to a mature, well-planted tank.
What is the best tank mate for a firefish?
Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Clown Goby, Neon Goby, Ocellaris Clownfish. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.
What fish should you avoid keeping with a firefish?
No outright no-gos in our current database, but always avoid fish that are much larger, much more aggressive, or that need very different water.
How big a tank do firefish tank mates need?
Start from Firefish's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 75 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.