Humpbacked Tetra Tank Mates

Humpbacked Tetra is semi-aggressive, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 64 freshwater species that pair well with a humpbacked tetra — plus the 100 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

By The Aquarium DB Team • Updated June 8, 2026 • Full Humpbacked Tetra care guide →
Best matches

The best tank mates for a humpbacked tetra

  • Assassin Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Malaysian Trumpet Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 21–27 °C (70–81 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Axelrod's Cory ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Bandit Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Japanese Trapdoor Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 10–28 °C (50–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Julii Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Masked Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Skunk Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Bloodfin Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Rust Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Agassiz's Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Blackline Rasbora ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Diamond Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Elegant Cory ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • False Julii Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Glass Bloodfin Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Pearl Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–25 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Corydoras Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Spotfin Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Costa's Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Melon Barb ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Peppered Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Spotted Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
With caution

Humpbacked Tetra tank mates that can work with care

  • Afra Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Different pH ranges (5.5–7.2 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • African Butterfly Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Humpbacked Tetra and Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Humpbacked Tetra may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
  • Amapá Tetra ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Humpbacked Tetra and Amapá Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add amapá tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Amazon Puffer ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Your 80 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Angelfish ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Ash Lipped Apisto ⚠️ With caution
    Hard care · Semi-aggressive · 7 cm · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    Humpbacked Tetra and Ash Lipped Apisto can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.

+ 168 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with a humpbacked tetra

  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Humpbacked Tetra and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Humpbacked Tetra and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Humpbacked Tetra and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
  • Fire Eel ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Size gap is too large (100 vs 5 cm): Fire Eel will treat Humpbacked Tetra as food.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Humpbacked Tetra and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Koi ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    Humpbacked Tetra is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
  • Spotted Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Humpbacked Tetra and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
  • Wolf Cichlid ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Humpbacked Tetra and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.

+ 92 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against a humpbacked tetra

Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a humpbacked tetra, with the reasoning for each verdict.

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Humpbacked Tetra?

We compare each fish against your humpbacked tetra on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.

  • Adolf's Cory✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5.5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Adolf's Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Agassiz's Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Agassiz's Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Axelrod's Cory✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Axelrod's Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bandit Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Bandit Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Blackline Rasbora✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Blackline Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Blood Red Tiger Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bloodfin Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5.5 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Bloodfin Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Butterfly Hillstream Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–24 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Diamond Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Diamond Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Duplicareus Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5.5 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Duplicareus Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Dwarf Chain Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Dwarf Chain Loach in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Elegant Cory✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Elegant Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • False Julii Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep False Julii Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • German Blue Ram✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 27–30 °C (81–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 27–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Glass Bloodfin Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Glass Bloodfin Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Horseman Cory✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Horseman Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Japanese Trapdoor Snail✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 10–28 °C (50–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Julii Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Julii Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Masked Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Masked Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Morse Code Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Morse Code Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Narcissus II Cory✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5.5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Narcissus II Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Panda Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Panda Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Rust Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5.5 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Rust Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Skunk Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Skunk Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Amano Shrimp⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Blue Turbo Snail⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (5.5–7.2 vs 7.5–8.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Checkered Barb⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
    • Expect Humpbacked Tetra to harass Checkered Barb at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Checkered Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Cherry Barb⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra and Cherry Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add cherry barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Chocolate Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Hard care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Expect Humpbacked Tetra to harass Chocolate Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Chocolate Gourami in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Cochu's Blue Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra and Cochu's Blue Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add cochu's blue tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Cochu's Blue Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Firehead Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra and Firehead Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add firehead tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Firehead Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Five-banded Barb⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Five-banded Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Five-banded Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Forktail Blue-eye⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °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.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Half-striped Penguin Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Expect Humpbacked Tetra to harass Half-striped Penguin Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Half-striped Penguin Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Harlequin Rasbora⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Harlequin Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Harlequin Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Honey Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Expect Humpbacked Tetra to harass Honey Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Mystery Snail⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Mystery Snail — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Rummy-nose Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–29 °C (73–84 °F)
    • Expect Humpbacked Tetra to harass Rummy-nose Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Rummy-nose Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Silvertip Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Silvertip Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotfin Betta⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra and Spotfin Betta can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Humpbacked Tetra and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
    • Alligator Gar (250 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Humpbacked Tetra whole.
    • Alligator Gar is slow and long-finned; a busy humpbacked tetra shoal tends to nip at it. Keep humpbacked tetra in a proper group of 8+ and watch them closely.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Humpbacked Tetra is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory clown knifefish — it will be eaten.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Size gap is too large (100 vs 5 cm): Fire Eel will treat Humpbacked Tetra as food.
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Koi⛔ Not recommended
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
    • Humpbacked Tetra is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Koi is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 8+ with plenty of cover.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Humpbacked Tetra and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
    • Humpbacked Tetra is bite-sized to a 120 cm predatory redtail catfish — it will be eaten.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Humpbacked Tetra and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
    • Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Humpbacked Tetra whole.
    • Spotted Gar is slow and long-finned; a busy humpbacked tetra shoal tends to nip at it. Keep humpbacked tetra in a proper group of 8+ and watch them closely.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Humpbacked Tetra and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
    • Wels Catfish (300 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Humpbacked Tetra whole.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Humpbacked Tetra is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.
    • Humpbacked Tetra is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Wolf Cichlid is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 8+ with plenty of cover.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ 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 humpbacked tetra community tank

Give the group a stable, planted 80 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

How to choose the right tank mates for a humpbacked tetra

Being semi-aggressive, humpbacked tetra can nip or harass smaller, slower or long-finned fish — give it space, broken sight-lines and similarly robust companions. It mostly occupies the middle of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Humpbacked Tetra 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 24–28 °C (75–82 °F), pH 5.5–7.2 and 1–10 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Humpbacked Tetra is a shoaling fish — stock a group of 8+ 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.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can a humpbacked tetra live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 64 compatible freshwater species for humpbacked tetra. 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 humpbacked tetra?

Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Assassin Snail, Malaysian Trumpet Snail, Axelrod's Cory. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.

What fish should you avoid keeping with a humpbacked tetra?

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 humpbacked tetra tank mates need?

Start from Humpbacked Tetra's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 80 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.

← Back to the full Humpbacked Tetra care guide