Dwarf neon rainbowfish Tank Mates
Short answer: the best dwarf neon rainbowfish tank mates are Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. Dwarf neon rainbowfish need 73–82 °F (23–28 °C), pH 6.8–7.5 and at least 20 gallons. Keep them in a group of 6 or more.
Dwarf neon rainbowfish care at a glance
| Adult size | 3.1 in (8 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 20 US gallons |
| Temperature | 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) |
| pH | 6.8–7.5 |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Swims in | Middle |
| Group size | Groups of 6+ |
| Care level | Easy |
gallon tank
✅ Compatible tank mates (51)
- Betta fish
- Dwarf gourami
- Guppy
- Bristlenose pleco
- Harlequin rasbora
- Molly
- Neon tetra
- Platy
- Angelfish
- Nerite snail
- Amano shrimp
- Celestial pearl danio
- Chili rasbora
- Ember tetra
- Endler's livebearer
- Mystery snail
- Otocinclus
- Panda cory
- Bronze cory
- Cardinal tetra
- Cherry barb
- Glowlight tetra
- Honey gourami
- Kuhli loach
- Rummy nose tetra
- Zebra danio
- Kribensis
- Pearl gourami
- Swordtail
- Three spot gourami
- Discus
- Rainbow shark
- Red tail shark
- Siamese algae eater
- Common pleco
- Clown loach
- Pygmy cory
- Sparkling gourami
- Black neon tetra
- Bloodfin tetra
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
- Forktail blue-eye
- Glass catfish
- Lemon tetra
- Sterbai cory
- X-ray tetra
- Congo tetra
- Odessa barb
- Upside-down catfish
- Firemouth cichlid
- Bolivian ram
⚠️ Possible with caution (11)
- Cherry shrimp — Dwarf neon rainbowfish will eat baby cherry shrimp (and some individuals hunt adults), so a shrimp colony may not grow. Dense plants and moss help.
- Tiger barb — Tiger barb may nip at calmer tankmates like dwarf neon rainbowfish; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Black skirt tetra — Black skirt tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like dwarf neon rainbowfish; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- German blue ram — Very narrow shared temperature range: Dwarf neon rainbowfish 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs German blue ram 27–30 °C (81–86 °F).
- Serpae tetra — Serpae tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like dwarf neon rainbowfish; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Peppered cory — Very narrow shared temperature range: Dwarf neon rainbowfish 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Peppered cory 20–24 °C (68–75 °F).
- Buenos Aires tetra — Buenos Aires tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like dwarf neon rainbowfish; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Gold barb — Very narrow shared temperature range: Dwarf neon rainbowfish 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Rosy barb — Very narrow shared temperature range: Dwarf neon rainbowfish 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Rosy barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Boesemani rainbowfish — Very narrow shared temperature range: Boesemani rainbowfish 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Dwarf neon rainbowfish 23–28 °C (73–82 °F).
- Chinese algae eater — Adult Chinese algae eater can latch onto other fish and rasp their slime coat.
❌ Not recommended (9)
- Fancy goldfish — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Dwarf neon rainbowfish 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Fancy goldfish 20–23 °C (68–73 °F).
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat dwarf neon rainbowfish (8 cm).
- Pea puffer — Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful dwarf neon rainbowfish.
- White cloud mountain minnow — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Dwarf neon rainbowfish 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs White cloud mountain minnow 14–22 °C (57–72 °F).
- Electric yellow cichlid — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for dwarf neon rainbowfish.
- Paradise fish — No comfortable shared temperature: Dwarf neon rainbowfish 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Paradise fish 10–22 °C (50–72 °F).
- Convict cichlid — Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully peaceful dwarf neon rainbowfish.
- Jack Dempsey — An adult Jack Dempsey (up to 25 cm) is big enough to eat dwarf neon rainbowfish (8 cm).
- Bala shark — An adult bala shark (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat dwarf neon rainbowfish (8 cm).
How many dwarf neon rainbowfish per tank?
20 gal 29 gal 40 gal 55 gal 75 gal — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.
FAQ
What fish can live with dwarf neon rainbowfish?
Good matches include Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly. They share a temperature range with dwarf neon rainbowfish (73–82 °F (23–28 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.
What fish should not live with dwarf neon rainbowfish?
Avoid Fancy goldfish, Oscar, Pea puffer, White cloud mountain minnow, Electric yellow cichlid, Paradise fish.
What size tank do dwarf neon rainbowfish need?
We recommend at least 20 US gallons for a group of 6 dwarf neon rainbowfish, more if you add tank mates.
Can dwarf neon rainbowfish live alone?
No. Dwarf neon rainbowfish are social and should be kept in groups of at least 6.
Note: Compatibility depends on individual temperament, tank size, decor and how fish are introduced. Our verdicts use conservative rules applied to published care data (see methodology). They are guidance, not a guarantee. Quarantine new fish and watch for chasing, torn fins or hiding.