FishTankRummynose tetra care: tank size, temperature and tankmates
Known for bright red noses and the tightest schooling of any common tetra. Their nose color fades when the water quality slips, so they double as an early warning light.
Quick facts
| Type | Tetra |
|---|---|
| Adult size | About 2 inches |
| Smallest tank | 20 gallons |
| Temperature | 75–82°F |
| Keep | 6 or more |
| Watch for | Peaceful. Keep the right group size. |
How to keep them
They need clean, stable water and a group of 6 or more, ideally 10. Feed flakes, small pellets and frozen foods.
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 · 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 · Cherry shrimp · Amano shrimp · Nerite snail · Mystery snail
Possible, with care
- Angelfish: Adult angelfish may eat small fish like rummynose tetras. Add the small fish first, as adults, in a big tank.
Avoid
- White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: rummynose tetras like 75–82°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.
Check a whole tank in the fish compatibility checker, or see if they fit with the stocking calculator.
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