Mandarin Dragonet Tank Mates
Mandarin Dragonet is peaceful, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 17 freshwater species that pair well with a mandarin dragonet — plus the 0 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.
The best tank mates for a mandarin dragonet
- Clown Goby ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Neon Goby ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Banggai Cardinalfish ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Blue Damselfish ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 8 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 ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Green Chromis ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- 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.
- Royal Gramma ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Six Line Wrasse ✅ 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)Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Bicolor Blenny ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 10 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.
- Lawnmower Blenny ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 13 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Clarkii Clownfish ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 14 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.
- Domino Damselfish ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Aggressive · 14 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.
- Tomato Clownfish ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Semi-aggressive · 14 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.
- Maroon Clownfish ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Aggressive · 15 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.
Mandarin Dragonet tank mates that can work with care
- Bicolor Angelfish ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Blue Tang ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 30 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 110 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Cleaner Wrasse ⚠️ With cautionHard care · Peaceful · 11 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 110 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 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Diamond Goby ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Emperor Angelfish ⚠️ With cautionHard care · Semi-aggressive · 38 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 110 L tank is below the ~850 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Flame Angelfish ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 110 L tank is below the ~280 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Foxface Rabbitfish ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 24 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Your 110 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
+ 9 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.
Fish to avoid keeping with a mandarin dragonet
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 mandarin dragonet
Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a mandarin dragonet, with the reasoning for each verdict.
Tank-mate checker
Will it live with a Mandarin Dragonet?
We compare each fish against your mandarin dragonet on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Banggai Cardinalfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 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.
- Bicolor Blenny✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 10 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.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Blue Damselfish✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 8 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.
- Clarkii Clownfish✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 14 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.
- Clown Goby✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 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.
- Domino Damselfish✅ CompatibleAggressive · 14 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.
- Firefish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 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.
- Green Chromis✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Green Chromis in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Lawnmower Blenny✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 13 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.
- Maroon Clownfish✅ CompatibleAggressive · 15 cm · Medium 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; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- 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.
- Royal Gramma✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 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.
- Six Line Wrasse✅ 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.
- Tomato Clownfish✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 14 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.
- Yellow Watchman Goby✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Bicolor Angelfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Blue Tang⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 30 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Cleaner Wrasse⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 11 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 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 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Diamond Goby⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Emperor Angelfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 38 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~850 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Flame Angelfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~280 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Foxface Rabbitfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 24 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Kole Tang⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 18 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~280 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Melanurus Wrasse⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Naso Tang⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 45 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~680 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Purple Tang⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 25 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~280 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Regal Angelfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 25 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~480 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Sailfin Tang⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 40 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~570 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Yellow Coris Wrasse⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Yellow Tang⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 20 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Your 110 L tank is below the ~280 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 mandarin dragonet community tank
Give the group a stable, planted 110 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 mandarin dragonet
As a peaceful species, mandarin dragonet 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.
Mandarin Dragonet 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.
Mandarin Dragonet 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 mandarin dragonet live with other fish?
Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 17 compatible freshwater species for mandarin dragonet. 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 mandarin dragonet?
Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Clown Goby, Neon Goby, Banggai Cardinalfish. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.
What fish should you avoid keeping with a mandarin dragonet?
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 mandarin dragonet tank mates need?
Start from Mandarin Dragonet's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 110 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.