15 Best Congo Tetra Tank Mates – FishLab

Congo tetras are beautiful little fish, but if you want more variety in your tank, you’ll need to be sure any potential neighbors are suitable. That’s why we’ve done the research to provide you with a list of the best congo tetra tank mates!

The 15 Best Congo Tetra Tank Mates are fish that are similar in size and temperament, able to live in the same degree of temperature and water hardness, as well as low in likelihood to take too much of the congo tetra’s food. These include other tetras such as the neon tetra, platies, mollies, and even the Corydoras catfish.

In this article, we’ll summarize the best way to tell whether or not a fish is a good match for a congo tetra. We’ll also show you our list of the top 15 congo tetra tank mates so you can pick out the best ones for your tank!

Congo Tetra Tank Mates – What You Need to Know

There is a lot that goes into taking care of any pet, but when you’re looking for a good tank mate for your congo tetra, you’ll need to understand the following categories of information.

Temperament

A fish that is peaceful should usually be kept with other peaceful fish, or at least be large enough to intimidate bullies. A fish that is active and social should always have plenty of friends to swim with! The congo tetra, for instance, is a calm and peaceful fish in terms of temperament. 

Other fish that share the space with a congo tetra should have the same sort of attitude and habits!

Size

A congo tetra is small, making it a little easier to care for. However, you should make sure that any tank mates are not too much bigger than the congo tetra, or they might wind up hunting the little guy! To avoid this, choose fish that are no larger than 6 or 7 inches in length.

Competition

 Congo tetras eat worms, insects, algae, and plants in the wild. In the tank, they’ll be happy with flakes, live food, and both bloodworms and brine shrimp! They’re usually fed in small doses all throughout the day. Congo tetras can move quickly to eat their fair share when they need to, but it is important to get tank mates that will not over-compete and starve the tetras.

Parameters ; Tank Setup

 The congo tetra needs water temperature of 72 to 82 F, so other tank mates should be able to survive ideally in the same level of heat. They should also be comfortable with a moderate amount of plants and rocks for hiding and playing in, which is what the congo tetra loves!

15 Best Congo Tetra Tank Mates

Now that you understand what makes a great tank mate for a tetra, let’s take a look at our list of the top fifteen best candidates!

1. Glowlight tetra
2. Red Wagtail Platy
3. Tiger Barb
4. Harlequin Rasboras
5. Cherry Barb
6. Molly
7. Guppy
8. Dwarf Cichlid
9. Corydoras Catfish
10. Neon Tetras
11. Cardinal Tetras
12. Celestial Pearl Danio
13. Ember Tetra
14. Rainbowfish
15. Chili Rasbora

Let’s look more closely at what makes each of these fish uniquely suitable as tank mates for congo tetras!

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1. Glowlight Tetra

• Scientific Name:Hemigrammus erythrozonus
• Adult Size:  1.5 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Guyana

The glowlight tetra is a charming addition to any tank. It is easy to take care of and peaceful and unassuming in nature. 

Glowlight tetras are named for their bright, iridescent coloration. They are slender, tiny, and nearly transparent, usually peach in color. They have an even bright gold to red stripe along the sides.

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• Little food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

2. Red Wagtail Platy

• Scientific Name:Xiphophorus maculatus
• Adult Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras

The red wagtail platy is a peaceful fish that spends most of it’s time in the middle of the tank. It comes in several variations of color, one of which is named after Mickey Mouse for the three spots near the tail, and others of which are silver, black and white, or otherwise. 

The red wagtail platy is named for it’s fiery color. It will cause no trouble with your congo tetra, but it may be aggressive with it’s own kind of the same sex.

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• Little food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

3. Tiger Barb

• Scientific Name: Barbus tetrazona
• Adult Size: 3 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Sumatra, Borneo, Indonesia

The name “tiger” certainly suits this small barb. It’s shiny body is a peachy, pale orange color, striped with thick black markings. 

Tiger barbs are another small but peaceful breed with easygoing habits. It is comfortable in a school of it’s own kind, with plenty of plants to hide behind. 

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• Little food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

4. Harlequin Rasboras

• Scientific Name:Trigonostigma heteromorpha
• Adult Size: 1.75 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Asia, Sumatra, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore

The harlequin rasbora is a great addition to any tank that needs a flash of golden beauty. These fish may be small, they make up for it with shining golden bodies set off by black markings along the tail. 

Harlequin rasboras are another small fish that won’t try to eat your congo tetra. They are also peaceful, and enjoy swimming with schools of their own kind. 

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• Little food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

5. Cherry Barb

• Scientific Name: Puntius titteya
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Sri Lanka

Another small, peaceful playmate for your congo tetra is the cherry barb. Named for their bright red coloration, the cherry barb is an omnivore that spends most of it’s time at the top of the tank. 

This fish is gentle in temperament and loves to spend time with it’s own kind or in any social school of fish, exploring the plants in your tank.

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• Little food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

6. Molly

• Scientific Name: Poecilia
• Adult Size: 5.5 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: North America, Mexico

Mollies come in many different breeds. Each are omnivorous, and most are very easy to care for. They’re peaceful in nature and unlikely to try to start fights or snack on the similarly-sized congo tetras. 

Mollies come with sail fins or dorsal fins that are fringed in orange. They come in several different varieties of color, though!

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• Little food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

7. Guppy

• Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: South America

The easygoing guppy is small but gorgeous in looks. It is shiny, with a slender and graceful body that can come in many reflective colors. It has been bred in captivity for years thanks to it’s popularity. 

Guppies are easy to care for. They are small enough to avoid trying to eat your congo tetras and peaceful enough to swim gently around the tank.

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• No food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

8. Dwarf Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Apistogramma agassizii
• Adult Size: 3 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin:South America

The dwarf cichlid is one of the few species of cichlid that could actually get along with smaller, peaceful tetras. Most cichlids are bullies, but the dwarf cichlid is too small to do much more than put on a temporary display of swagger with most fish!

Instead of bullying, this fish loves to play! It comes in pale green colors with turquoise to light blue markings, and some variations even have bright, warm-colored fins!

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• Little food competition
• Too small to eat congo tetra

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• Little aggression possible

9. Corydoras Catfish

• Scientific Name: Corydoras aeneus
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina

To take a break from the many tetras on this list, try a corydoras catfish for some variety! Corydoras catfish are bronze in color and dwell on the bottom of the tank, eating leftovers from other fish meals. 

They have adorable whiskers and pointed faces. They’re very peaceful and keep to themselves, too, avoiding starting trouble with any tank mates. 

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• No food competition
• Cleans up tank

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

10. Neon Tetras

• Scientific Name: Paracheirodon innesi
• Adult Size: 1 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Peru, Brazil, Colombia

The neon tetra is named aptly for the bright, almost flashing colors of it’s body! It sandwiches a shining red stripe with vibrant blue and silver. These small fish are a threat to no one, and they’re very fun to watch schooling together.

The neon tetra is popular among aquarium owners for it’s ease of care. It will cause no issues for your congo tetra!

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• Little food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

11. Cardinal Tetras

• Scientific Name: Paracheirodon axelrodi
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Colombia, Venzuela

The cardinal tetra is another tetra on this list that adds beauty to the tank without adding any aggression or competition issues. They are omnivores, easy to please at meal time, and dwell in the top and middle of the tank. 

Cardinal tetras enjoy schooling with others of their kind. They also love to play tag inbetween plants!

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• No food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

12. Celestial Pearl Danio

• Scientific Name: Celestichthys margaritus
• Adult Size: 1 inch
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Asia

Celestial pearl danios live up to their beautiful name. They are gorgeous, with a muted blue body speckled in gold and fringed on the belly and fins in bright fiery colors. These range from orange to more yellow!

Celestial pearl danios like to school in their own kind. They are otherwise peaceful and don’t like to start any fights.

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• No food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

13. Ember Tetra

• Scientific Name:Hyphessobrycon amandae
• Adult Size: 1 inch
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: South America

Ember Tetras are another fiery member of the tetra family that can cozy up with your congo tetra, no problem! They are bright red, but their temperament does not reflect it, being mostly peaceful. 

These small fish are very social and playful. 

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• No food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

14. Rainbowfish

• Scientific Name: Melanotaeniidae
• Adult Size: 2 to 7 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Australia, Madagascar, Indonesia

Thanks to their beautiful colors, Rainbowfish deserve their names. They are sparklingly iridescent, with long black fins framing a whole rainbow of colors subtly blended into one another. 

These fish can get quite long, but they remain slender. They are too peaceful to start trouble with your congo tetras!

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• No food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

15. Chili Rasbora

• Scientific Name: Boraras brigittae
• Adult Size: 0.8 inches
• Compatible With: Congo Tetra
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Borneo

These fish are incredibly tiny, so it is important not to keep them with fish much larger than themselves! However, this also means they will not be a threat to your congo tetras. They do best in schools of many of their own kind. 

Once you get close enough to see them, chili rasbora are quite beautiful. They are red with slightly paler underbellies, marked with heroic royal blue!

Pros of keeping with Congo Tetra:

• No aggression
• No food competition

Cons of keeping with Congo Tetra :

• None!

In Conclusion

To sum everything we’ve learned up, the 15 Best Congo Tetra Tank Mates are those which are small enough to avoid trying to eat the congo tetra and peaceful enough to avoid bullying. Some of these include other tetras, like the neon tetra or the glowlight tetra. Others are peaceful bottom dwellers, like the corydoras catfish. Find the perfect tank mates for yours!