Forktail Blue-eye Tank Mates
Forktail Blue-eye is peaceful, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 135 freshwater species that pair well with a forktail blue-eye — plus the 73 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.
The best tank mates for a forktail blue-eye
- Ember Tetra ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Neon Green Rasbora ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Ramshorn Snail ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Red Lip Nerite Snail ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Dawn Tetra ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 2.5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Nerite Snail ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 2.5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Assassin Snail ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Endler's Livebearer ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Glowlight Danio ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Gold Ring Danio ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Malaysian Trumpet Snail ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 21–27 °C (70–81 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Neon Tetra ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Tail-spot Corydoras ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Trinidad Guppy ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 19–24 °C (66–75 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Pygmy Corydoras ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3.2 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Glowlight Rasbora ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 3.5 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Blue Danio ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 21–26 °C (70–79 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Emperor Tetra ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Flame Tetra ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Glowlight Tetra ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Golden Dwarf Barb ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Phoenix Tetra ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Red Phantom Tetra ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Rosy Tetra ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
Forktail Blue-eye tank mates that can work with care
- Afra Cichlid ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Afra Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Forktail Blue-eye — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- African Butterfly Cichlid ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)African Butterfly Cichlid clearly outsizes Forktail Blue-eye and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Forktail Blue-eye — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)Forktail Blue-eye may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
- Amazon Puffer ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Angelfish ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)Expect Angelfish to harass Forktail Blue-eye at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Arrowhead Puffer ⚠️ With cautionHard care · Aggressive · 12 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)Expect Arrowhead Puffer to harass Forktail Blue-eye at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Ash Lipped Apisto ⚠️ With cautionHard care · Semi-aggressive · 7 cm · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)Ash Lipped Apisto is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Forktail Blue-eye — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
+ 124 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.
Fish to avoid keeping with a forktail blue-eye
- Wels Catfish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)Forktail Blue-eye is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
- Alligator Gar ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Forktail Blue-eye is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
- Redtail Catfish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Forktail Blue-eye whole.
- Fire Eel ⛔ AvoidMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Forktail Blue-eye whole.
- Clown Knifefish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Size gap is too large (90 vs 5 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Forktail Blue-eye as food.
- Koi ⛔ AvoidMedium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Forktail Blue-eye whole.
- Spotted Gar ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)Forktail Blue-eye is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
- Wolf Cichlid ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)Forktail Blue-eye is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.
+ 65 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.
Check any fish against a forktail blue-eye
Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a forktail blue-eye, with the reasoning for each verdict.
Will it live with a Forktail Blue-eye?
We compare each fish against your forktail blue-eye on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Adolf's Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5.5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Adolf's Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Axelrod's Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Axelrod's Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bandit Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bandit Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bloodfin Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5.5 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bloodfin Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Blue Turbo Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 25–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Checkered Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Checkered Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cherry Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cochu's Blue Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Cochu's Blue Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Firehead Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Firehead Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Five-banded Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Five-banded Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Half-striped Penguin Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Half-striped Penguin Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Harlequin Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Harlequin Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Honey Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Horseman Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Horseman Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Japanese Trapdoor Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 10–28 °C (50–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Julii Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Julii Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Masked Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Masked Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Mystery Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Panda Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Panda Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rummy-nose Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–29 °C (73–84 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Rummy-nose Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Skunk Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Skunk Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Stoliczka's Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Stoliczka's Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Xingu Black Neon Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Xingu Black Neon Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Zebra Danio✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–25 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the top of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Zebra Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Amano Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Forktail Blue-eye may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Ruby Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Expect Black Ruby Barb to harass Forktail Blue-eye at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~100 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Ruby Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Skirt Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Black Skirt Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Forktail Blue-eye — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Skirt Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Chocolate Gourami⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 5 cm · Hard care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Different pH ranges (6.5–8 vs 4–6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Chocolate Gourami in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Desert Goby⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Desert Goby and Forktail Blue-eye are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add forktail blue-eye in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Chain Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Dwarf Chain Loach in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Eastern Betta⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Eastern Betta is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Forktail Blue-eye — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- GloFish Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
- GloFish Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Forktail Blue-eye — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep GloFish Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Humpbacked Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Humpbacked Tetra and Forktail Blue-eye are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add forktail blue-eye in a group to spread the pressure.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Morse Code Corydoras⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Morse Code Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Odessa Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Odessa Barb and Forktail Blue-eye are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add forktail blue-eye in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Odessa Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Peaceful Betta⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Peaceful Betta to harass Forktail Blue-eye at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Silvertip Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Silvertip Tetra and Forktail Blue-eye are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add forktail blue-eye in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Silvertip Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotfin Betta⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Spotfin Betta is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Forktail Blue-eye — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Striped Red-Eye Puffer⚠️ With cautionAggressive · 5 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Striped Red-Eye Puffer to harass Forktail Blue-eye at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wine Red Betta⚠️ With cautionAggressive · 5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Water hardness preferences differ (Forktail Blue-eye 5–20 vs Wine Red Betta 0–4 dGH).
- Expect Wine Red Betta to harass Forktail Blue-eye at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Forktail Blue-eye is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
- Expect Alligator Gar to harass Forktail Blue-eye at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 5 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Forktail Blue-eye as food.
- Clown Knifefish clearly outsizes Forktail Blue-eye and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Forktail Blue-eye whole.
- Fire Eel clearly outsizes Forktail Blue-eye and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Forktail Blue-eye whole.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Forktail Blue-eye whole.
- Redtail Catfish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Forktail Blue-eye — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Forktail Blue-eye is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
- Spotted Gar clearly outsizes Forktail Blue-eye and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Forktail Blue-eye is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
- Expect Wels Catfish to harass Forktail Blue-eye at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Forktail Blue-eye is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.
- Expect Wolf Cichlid to harass Forktail Blue-eye at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
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 forktail blue-eye 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.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — buying through these links costs you nothing extra.
How to choose the right tank mates for a forktail blue-eye
As a peaceful species, forktail blue-eye is easily bullied — favour other calm, non-nippy fish and steer clear of boisterous or aggressive tank mates. It mostly occupies the top of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.
Forktail Blue-eye grows to about 5 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 3 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 22–28 °C (72–82 °F), pH 6.5–8 and 5–20 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.
Forktail Blue-eye is a shoaling fish — stock a group of 6+ of its own kind first, then build compatible tank mates around them. 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 forktail blue-eye live with other fish?
Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 135 compatible freshwater species for forktail blue-eye. 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 forktail blue-eye?
Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Ember Tetra, Neon Green Rasbora, Ramshorn Snail. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.
What fish should you avoid keeping with a forktail blue-eye?
Avoid Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar, Redtail Catfish and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.
How big a tank do forktail blue-eye tank mates need?
Start from Forktail Blue-eye'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.