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A community aquarium mixes several species that share the tank peacefully. This list is calculated from our species data and includes tropical fish that meet all of these conditions:
- Peaceful temperament.
- Difficulty easy or moderate.
- A minimum tank size of 40 gallons (150 L) or less.
- Not coldwater species, since they do not share temperatures with tropical fish.
Being peaceful is only part of compatibility. You also need to match water parameters (soft-water tetras and hard-water livebearers do not fit perfectly together), size (a peaceful angelfish will still eat neons) and activity (very fast fish can stress slow, long-finned species).
A classic, balanced community has three layers: a school in the middle (tetras, rasboras), a group on the bottom (corydoras) and one or two centerpiece fish (a gourami or a pair of dwarf cichlids). Add fish gradually to a cycled tank, starting with the hardiest.
Use the compatibility checker with your exact selection: it flags conflicts in temperature, pH, hardness, size and fin nipping that a simple list cannot show.
Community fish
| Species | Min. liters | Size | Temp. | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bristlenose pleco Ancistrus sp. | 26 gal (100 L) | 5.1 in (13 cm) | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) | Easy |
 Cherry barb Puntius titteya | 16 gal (60 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 73–81 °F (23–27 °C) | Easy |
 Bronze cory Corydoras aeneus | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.6 in (6.5 cm) | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) | Easy |
 Panda cory Corydoras panda | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 68–77 °F (20–25 °C) | Moderate |
 Zebra danio Danio rerio | 16 gal (60 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 64–77 °F (18–25 °C) | Easy |
 Guppy Poecilia reticulata | 14 gal (54 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Molly Poecilia sphenops | 26 gal (100 L) | 3.1 in (8 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Otocinclus catfish Otocinclus vestitus | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.6 in (4 cm) | 70–79 °F (21–26 °C) | Moderate |
 Platy Xiphophorus maculatus | 16 gal (60 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Easy |
 Ram cichlid Mikrogeophagus ramirezi | 16 gal (60 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 79–86 °F (26–30 °C) | Moderate |
 Harlequin rasbora Trigonostigma heteromorpha | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) | Easy |
 Celestial pearl danio Danio margaritatus | 11 gal (40 L) | 1 in (2.5 cm) | 68–77 °F (20–25 °C) | Moderate |
 Rummy-nose tetra Hemigrammus rhodostomus | 26 gal (100 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Cardinal tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi | 21 gal (80 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 73–84 °F (23–29 °C) | Moderate |
 Ember tetra Hyphessobrycon amandae | 11 gal (40 L) | 0.8 in (2 cm) | 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) | Easy |
 Neon tetra Paracheirodon innesi | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.4 in (3.5 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Easy |
 Swordtail Xiphophorus hellerii | 32 gal (120 L) | 4.7 in (12 cm) | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) | Easy |
 Lyretail killifish Aphyosemion australe | 11 gal (40 L) | 2.2 in (5.5 cm) | 70–77 °F (21–25 °C) | Moderate |
 Celebes rainbowfish Marosatherina ladigesi | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.8 in (7 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Dwarf neon rainbowfish Melanotaenia praecox | 32 gal (120 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Glass catfish Kryptopterus vitreolus | 32 gal (120 L) | 2.6 in (6.5 cm) | 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) | Moderate |
 Gold barb Barbodes semifasciolatus | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.8 in (7 cm) | 64–75 °F (18–24 °C) | Easy |
 Odessa barb Pethia padamya | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Easy |
 Rosy barb Pethia conchonius | 40 gal (150 L) | 3.9 in (10 cm) | 64–77 °F (18–25 °C) | Easy |
 Chili rasbora Boraras brigittae | 8 gal (30 L) | 0.8 in (2 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Dwarf rasbora Boraras maculatus | 11 gal (40 L) | 1 in (2.5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Bolivian ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus | 26 gal (100 L) | 3.1 in (8 cm) | 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) | Easy |
 Salt and pepper cory Corydoras habrosus | 11 gal (40 L) | 1.2 in (3 cm) | 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) | Moderate |
 Peppered cory Corydoras paleatus | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.6 in (6.5 cm) | 64–75 °F (18–24 °C) | Easy |
 Pygmy cory Corydoras pygmaeus | 11 gal (40 L) | 1 in (2.5 cm) | 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) | Moderate |
 Sterbai cory Corydoras sterbai | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.6 in (6.5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Three-stripe cory Corydoras trilineatus | 18 gal (70 L) | 2.2 in (5.5 cm) | 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) | Easy |
 Pearl danio Danio albolineatus | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Easy |
 Scarlet badis Dario dario | 11 gal (40 L) | 0.8 in (2 cm) | 64–79 °F (18–26 °C) | Moderate |
 Endler's livebearer Poecilia wingei | 11 gal (40 L) | 1.2 in (3 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Twig catfish Farlowella vittata | 26 gal (100 L) | 5.9 in (15 cm) | 75–81 °F (24–27 °C) | Moderate |
 Sparkling gourami Trichopsis pumila | 12 gal (45 L) | 1.4 in (3.5 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Honey gourami Trichogaster chuna | 14 gal (54 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Pearl gourami Trichopodus leerii | 32 gal (120 L) | 4.3 in (11 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Flag acara Laetacara curviceps | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.8 in (7 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Dwarf chain loach Ambastaia sidthimunki | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.2 in (5.5 cm) | 77–82 °F (25–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Reticulated hillstream loach Sewellia lineolata | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 68–75 °F (20–24 °C) | Moderate |
 Kuhli loach Pangio kuhlii | 16 gal (60 L) | 3.5 in (9 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Sailfin molly Poecilia latipinna | 40 gal (150 L) | 3.9 in (10 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Marbled hatchetfish Carnegiella strigata | 21 gal (80 L) | 1.4 in (3.5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Least killifish Heterandria formosa | 8 gal (30 L) | 1 in (2.5 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Easy |
 Variatus platy Xiphophorus variatus | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.6 in (6.5 cm) | 64–77 °F (18–25 °C) | Easy |
 Clown pleco (L104) Panaqolus maccus | 21 gal (80 L) | 3.5 in (9 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Forktail blue-eye Pseudomugil furcatus | 16 gal (60 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Red-line rasbora Rasbora pauciperforata | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Scissortail rasbora Rasbora trilineata | 40 gal (150 L) | 4.7 in (12 cm) | 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) | Easy |
 Lambchop rasbora Trigonostigma espei | 14 gal (54 L) | 1.4 in (3.5 cm) | 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) | Easy |
 Hengel's rasbora Trigonostigma hengeli | 14 gal (54 L) | 1.2 in (3 cm) | 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Copper tetra Hasemania nana | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.6 in (4 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Diamond tetra Moenkhausia pittieri | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Emperor tetra Nematobrycon palmeri | 21 gal (80 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 73–81 °F (23–27 °C) | Easy |
 Lemon tetra Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis | 21 gal (80 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Glowlight tetra Hemigrammus erythrozonus | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.6 in (4 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Red eye tetra Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Penguin tetra Thayeria boehlkei | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 X-ray tetra Pristella maxillaris | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
No species match those filters.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a good community fish?
A peaceful temperament, similar water needs to its tank mates, an adult size that does not make others food, and a tolerance for typical aquarium conditions.
Can I mix tetras and livebearers?
Often yes, in moderately hard water around neutral pH, but neither group will be in its ideal conditions. Check the ranges in the compatibility checker.
How many species should a community tank have?
Fewer species in proper groups look better and behave more naturally than many species in small numbers. Three or four species is plenty for most tanks.