FishTankCongo tetra care: tank size, temperature and tankmates
A large, peaceful African tetra with shimmering rainbow scales. Males grow long, feathery fins, which makes them a showpiece for a bigger tank.
Quick facts
| Type | Tetra |
|---|---|
| Adult size | About 3 inches |
| Smallest tank | 30 gallons |
| Temperature | 73–82°F |
| Keep | 6 or more |
| Watch for | Needs a big tank with room to swim. |
How to keep them
Give them a 30 gallon tank or larger with room to swim, and keep 6 or more so they settle.
Like every fish, they need a cycled tank, a heater set inside their range, and a weekly water change of about 25%. Test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate before you add them. New to this? Start with how to cycle a fish tank.
Tankmates
Good tankmates
Neon tetra · Cardinal tetra · Ember tetra · Rummynose tetra · Black skirt tetra · Serpae tetra · Harlequin rasbora · Zebra danio · Cherry barb · Tiger barb · Platy · Guppy · Endler's livebearer · Molly · Swordtail · Betta (male) · Honey gourami · Dwarf gourami · Pearl gourami · Corydoras (bronze or peppered) · Pygmy corydoras · Kuhli loach · Otocinclus · Bristlenose pleco · Angelfish · Amano shrimp · Nerite snail · Mystery snail · Glowlight tetra · Black neon tetra · Lemon tetra · Chili rasbora · Lambchop rasbora · Gold barb · Dwarf neon rainbowfish · Sparkling gourami · German blue ram · Bolivian ram · Cockatoo dwarf cichlid · Kribensis · Clown loach · Hillstream loach · Siamese algae eater · Ghost shrimp · Ramshorn snail
Possible, with care
- Cherry shrimp: Congo tetras eat baby cherry shrimp. Adults usually survive with plenty of moss to hide in.
- Rosy barb: Only a narrow shared temperature range (73–74°F). A good heater and thermometer are a must.
- African dwarf frog: African dwarf frogs are slow, nearly blind eaters. Bigger or faster fish take their food, so feed the frogs with a baster or tongs.
Avoid
- White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: Congo tetras like 73–82°F, white cloud minnows 60–72°F.
- Fancy goldfish: Goldfish need cool water and grow big and messy. Keep them with other goldfish, not tropical fish.
- Common goldfish: Goldfish need cool water and grow big and messy. Keep them with other goldfish, not tropical fish.
Not sure about a mix? See the tankmate answers or the stocking ideas by tank size.
Tankmate questions: Can angelfish live with Congo tetras?
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