Silver Tetra Tank Mates

Silver Tetra is peaceful, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 195 freshwater species that pair well with a silver tetra — plus the 58 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

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

The best tank mates for a silver tetra

  • Ember Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy 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 ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 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.
  • Ramshorn Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Red Lip Nerite Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy 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 ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2.5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Nerite Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2.5 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.
  • Assassin Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 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.
  • Endler's Livebearer ✅ Compatible
    Easy 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.
  • Glowlight Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Gold Ring Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Malaysian Trumpet Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 21–27 °C (70–81 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Neon Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Tail-spot Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Trinidad Guppy ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 19–24 °C (66–75 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Pygmy Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3.2 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.
  • Glowlight Rasbora ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3.5 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Blue Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 21–26 °C (70–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Emperor Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Flame Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Glowlight Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy 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.
  • Golden Dwarf Barb ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Phoenix Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy 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 ✅ Compatible
    Easy 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 ✅ Compatible
    Easy 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.
With caution

Silver Tetra tank mates that can work with care

  • Afra Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    pH preferences only just meet (Silver Tetra 6–7.5 vs Afra Cichlid 7.8–8.6) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium 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 Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Altifrons Geophagus ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Altifrons Geophagus clearly outsizes Silver Tetra and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
  • Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Adult Amano Shrimp might survive with Silver Tetra, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
  • Amazon Puffer ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Your 115 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)
    Angelfish clearly outsizes Silver Tetra and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
  • Angelicus Synodontis ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    Expect Angelicus Synodontis to harass Silver Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Arrowhead Puffer ⚠️ With caution
    Hard care · Aggressive · 12 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer and Silver Tetra are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add silver tetra in a group to spread the pressure.

+ 79 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with a silver tetra

  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Silver Tetra is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Size gap is too large (250 vs 9 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Silver Tetra as food.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 9 cm Silver Tetra whole.
  • Fire Eel ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 9 cm Silver Tetra whole.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Size gap is too large (90 vs 9 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Silver Tetra as food.
  • Koi ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    Silver 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)
    Silver Tetra is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
  • Wolf Cichlid ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Silver Tetra is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.

+ 50 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against a silver tetra

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

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Silver Tetra?

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

  • African Butterfly Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium 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.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Badis✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bearded Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium 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 Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • 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 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bolivian Ram✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 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 Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Brilliant Rasbora✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 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.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Brilliant Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Burmese Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Clown Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Clown Rasbora✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium 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.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Clown Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 8 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 Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Dwarf Gourami✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, 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 Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Giant Danio✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 20–27 °C (68–81 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Giant Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Glass Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium 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.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Glass Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °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.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keyhole Cichlid✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 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.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Molly✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 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.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Pantanal Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Pantanal 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)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Thick-lipped Gourami✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 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.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Upside-down Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy 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 Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Zebra Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Silver Tetra 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)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 26–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Afra Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • pH preferences only just meet (Silver Tetra 6–7.5 vs Afra Cichlid 7.8–8.6) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
    • Afra Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Afra Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bandit Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Expect Bandit Cichlid to harass Silver Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Bandit Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Brichardi Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • pH preferences only just meet (Silver Tetra 6–7.5 vs Brichardi Cichlid 7.8–9) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
    • Brichardi Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Convict Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 10 cm · Easy care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
    • Convict Cichlid and Silver Tetra are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add silver tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Daffodil Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–9); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Daffodil Cichlid and Silver Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add silver tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Demasoni Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 9 cm · Hard care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    • pH preferences only just meet (Silver Tetra 6–7.5 vs Demasoni Cichlid 7.8–8.6) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
    • Demasoni Cichlid and Silver Tetra are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add silver tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Demasoni Cichlid in a shoal of 12+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Electric Yellow Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • pH preferences only just meet (Silver Tetra 6–7.5 vs Electric Yellow Cichlid 7.8–8.9) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
    • Electric Yellow Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Golden Wonder Killifish⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Expect Golden Wonder Killifish to harass Silver Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Johanni Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Johanni Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Kribensis⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Kribensis is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Lifalili Jewel Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Expect Lifalili Jewel Cichlid to harass Silver Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Mexican Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · Easy care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
    • Mexican Tetra and Silver Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add silver tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Mexican Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Paradise Fish⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 16–26 °C (61–79 °F)
    • Paradise Fish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Rosy Barb⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Expect Rosy Barb to harass Silver Tetra at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Rosy Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Rusty Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–8.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Rusty Cichlid and Silver Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add silver tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Size gap is too large (250 vs 9 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Silver Tetra as food.
    • Alligator Gar is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Size gap is too large (90 vs 9 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Silver Tetra as food.
    • Clown Knifefish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 9 cm Silver Tetra whole.
    • Fire Eel clearly outsizes Silver Tetra and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Koi⛔ Not recommended
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Silver Tetra is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 9 cm Silver Tetra whole.
    • Redtail Catfish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Silver Tetra is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
    • Spotted Gar clearly outsizes Silver Tetra and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    • Silver Tetra is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
    • Wels Catfish clearly outsizes Silver Tetra and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Silver Tetra is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.
    • Wolf Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Silver Tetra 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 silver tetra community tank

Give the group a stable, planted 115 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 silver tetra

As a peaceful species, silver tetra is easily bullied — favour other calm, non-nippy fish and steer clear of boisterous or aggressive tank mates. It mostly occupies the middle of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Silver Tetra grows to about 9 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 24–28 °C (75–82 °F), pH 6–7.5 and 4–15 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Silver Tetra 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.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can a silver tetra live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 195 compatible freshwater species for silver 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 silver tetra?

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 silver 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 silver tetra tank mates need?

Start from Silver Tetra's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 115 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.

← Back to the full Silver Tetra care guide