Paradise Fish Tank Mates

Paradise Fish is aggressive, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 43 freshwater species that pair well with a paradise fish — plus the 186 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

By The Aquarium DB Team • Updated June 7, 2026 • Full Paradise Fish care guide →
Best matches

The best tank mates for a paradise fish

  • Axelrod's Cory ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Bandit Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Japanese Trapdoor Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 10–28 °C (50–82 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 16–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Julii Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 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.
  • Masked Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Skunk Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 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.
  • Rust Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    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.
  • Agassiz's Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Elegant Cory ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • False Julii Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 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.
  • Corydoras Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    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.
  • Spotfin Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    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)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 18–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Spotted Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Black Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Burmese Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Porthole Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Murray River Rainbowfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 11 cm · 15–26 °C (59–79 °F)
    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.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Marbled Hoplo ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 14 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    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.
  • Blue Turbo Snail ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    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.
  • Horseman Cory ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    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.
  • Morse Code Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
With caution

Paradise Fish tank mates that can work with care

  • African Dwarf Frog ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Watch for Paradise Fish picking off any african dwarf frog small enough to fit in its mouth.
  • Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Adult Amano Shrimp might survive with Paradise Fish, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
  • Amapá Tetra ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Paradise Fish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Amapá Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Amazon Puffer ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Paradise Fish and Amazon Puffer are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add amazon puffer in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Assassin Snail ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Paradise Fish may bully the smaller Assassin Snail, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Bamboo Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Paradise Fish and Bamboo Shrimp are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add bamboo shrimp in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Black Phantom Tetra ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4.5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Expect Paradise Fish to harass Black Phantom Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Blackline Rasbora ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Paradise Fish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Blackline Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.

+ 103 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with a paradise fish

  • Mekong Giant Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Semi-aggressive · 300 cm · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
    Paradise Fish and Mekong Giant Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Paradise Fish and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Paradise Fish and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Paradise Fish and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Fire Eel ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Paradise Fish and Fire Eel will hold territory and clash.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Paradise Fish and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
  • Koi ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 10 cm Paradise Fish whole.
  • Spotted Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Paradise Fish and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.

+ 178 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against a paradise fish

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

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Paradise Fish?

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

  • Agassiz's Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Agassiz's Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Banjo Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 20–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Bearded Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 18–24 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Bearded Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Black Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Blood Red Tiger Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Bolivian Ram✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • 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.
  • Burmese Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Butterfly Hillstream Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    • 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.
  • Clown Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Corydoras Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • 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 Corydoras Catfish 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)
    • 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 Dwarf Chain Loach in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 25–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Marbled Hoplo✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • 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.
  • Murray River Rainbowfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 11 cm · Easy care · 15–26 °C (59–79 °F)
    • 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 Murray River Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Peppered Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 18–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Porthole Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Rio Negro Checkerboard Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    • 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
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • 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 Spotfin Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Rubbernose Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 20–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Sterbai Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Sterbai Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Zebra Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Hard care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Boesemani Rainbowfish⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 11 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Boesemani Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Brilliant Rasbora⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Paradise Fish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Brilliant Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Brilliant Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bristlenose Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~95 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Rasbora⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Paradise Fish and Clown Rasbora are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add clown rasbora in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Clown Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Giant Betta⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Paradise Fish and Giant Betta are both labyrinth fish and often treat each other as rivals — give a large, broken-up tank and be ready to separate them.
  • Giant Danio⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 20–27 °C (68–81 °F)
    • Expect Paradise Fish to harass Giant Danio at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Giant Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keyhole Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Expect Paradise Fish to harass Keyhole Cichlid at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Mascara Barb⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Mascara Barb in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Medusa Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Molly⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Expect Paradise Fish to harass Molly at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Pearl Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Paradise Fish and Pearl Gourami are both labyrinth fish and often treat each other as rivals — give a large, broken-up tank and be ready to separate them.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Rubber Lip Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Silver Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Paradise Fish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Thick-lipped Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Paradise Fish and Thick-lipped Gourami are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add thick-lipped gourami in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Paradise Fish and Thick-lipped Gourami are both labyrinth fish and often treat each other as rivals — give a large, broken-up tank and be ready to separate them.
  • Upside-down Catfish⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Zebra Loach⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Paradise Fish and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Paradise Fish is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Paradise Fish and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
    • Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 10 cm Paradise Fish whole.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Paradise Fish and Fire Eel will hold territory and clash.
    • Paradise Fish is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Koi⛔ Not recommended
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 10 cm Paradise Fish whole.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Mekong Giant Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
    • Paradise Fish and Mekong Giant Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~100000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Paradise Fish and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 10 cm Paradise Fish whole.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Paradise Fish and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Paradise Fish is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    • Paradise Fish and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Size gap is too large (300 vs 10 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Paradise Fish as food.
    • Your 80 L tank is below the ~20000 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 paradise fish 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 paradise fish

Paradise Fish is aggressive and territorial, so most community fish are unsafe; any tank mate must be large, tough and able to hold its own. It mostly occupies the top of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Paradise Fish grows to about 10 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 5 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 16–26 °C (61–79 °F), pH 6–8 and 4–20 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Paradise Fish 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.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can a paradise fish live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 43 compatible freshwater species for paradise fish. 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 paradise fish?

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

What fish should you avoid keeping with a paradise fish?

Avoid Mekong Giant Catfish, Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.

How big a tank do paradise fish tank mates need?

Start from Paradise Fish'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 Paradise Fish care guide