15 Best Serpae Tetra Tank Mates – FishLab

Many fish make a bright and colorful aquarium that any fish owner can be proud of! However, if you own a darling little serpae tetra, odds are, you wouldn’t want to do anything to stress it out. That’s why you can benefit from our list of the 15 Best Serpae Tetra Tank Mates!

The Best Serpae Tetra Tank Mates include fish that are not only similar in size to prevent a tendency toward eating one another, but compatible in temperament to maintain the peace and happiness throughout an aquarium. To ensure this, get tank mates such as the pictus catfish or german blue ram.

In this article, we’ll cover all 15 of the best options for tank mates for a serpae tetra, as well as a general overview of what these fish need to be healthy and happy with neighbors in the picture! Let’s get started.

Serpae Tetra Tank Mates – What You Need to Know

When you’re trying to make sure that not only your serpae tetra, but any potential tank mates in the community thrive, you’ll want to remember the following important factors:

Temperament

The same way humans don’t like to live with personalities that clash, fish can become stressed and beleaguered with tank mates that have incompatible temperaments. Serpae tetra are peaceful with other types of fish; however, it should be noted that they need at least six of their own kind to feel confident and avoid lashing out in fin-nipping behavior.

Size

Size matters because if a fish is much bigger than your serape tetra, it could wind up eating it’s tank mate. On the other hand, if a fish is much smaller than a serape tetra, the reverse is true. To avoid this, remember that the size of a serape tetra is 2 inches and get tank mates that are near to that size.

Competition

If your serpae tetra has to race and compete for it’s food because you’ve chosen a tank mate that eats similar diets, in similar zones of the aquarium, and at the same time of day, it could wind up starving. Therefore, it is best to pick tank mates that either do not eat as much or the same foods as a serpae tetra.

Serpae tetra will eat just about anything, from worms to pellets to flakes to frozen foods, and they will accept food at all times of the day. Like most tetras, they generally feed in the middle zone of the tank. Keep these facts in mind when selecting tank mates who can compete for food as quickly as nimble tetras!

Parameters ; Tank Setup

Serpae tetra need a water temperature of 72 to 79 F, and they prefer plenty of plants to duck in and around, as well as rock or wood obstacles to hide in. Keep these in mind when selecting tank mates who will thrive under the same conditions.

15 Best Serpae Tetra Tank Mates

Below you’ll find a list of the top 15 tank mates that work best when sharing space with a serape tetra!

1. Bronze Cory
2. Pictus Catfish
3. Britslenose Pleco
4. Bandit Cory
5. German Blue Ram
6. Bloodfin Tetra
7. Neon Tetra
8. Celestial Pearl Danio
9. Zebra Danio
10. Swordtail Fish
11. Twig Catfish
12. Black Skirt Tetra
13. Amano Shrimp
14. Kuhli Loach
15. Nerite Snail

As the article continues, we’ll give you a brief look at each of the potential tank mates for your tetra so you can see what makes each compatible.

You shouldn’t miss our other favorite posts on this category:

• Blue Gourami Tank Mates
• Cory Catfish Tank Mates
• Pictus Catfish Tank Mates
• Zebra Danio Tank Mates

1. Bronze Cory

• Scientific Name: Corydoras Aeneus
• Adult Size: 2.5 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 72 to 79 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: South America

Bronze Corys will spend time on the bottom of the aquarium, causing little trouble but allowing for some tank floor cleanup. This makes them ideal tank mates, both for matching temperaments and visual variety, when it comes to serpae tetras!

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None

2. Pictus Catfish

• Scientific Name:  Pimelodus pictus
• Adult Size: 5 to 6 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 74 to 78 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: South America

Pictus catfish are adorable, dalmatian-like fish with long whiskers and shiny, silver bodies sporting black spots. They will be happy to coast among their own kind and cause no trouble for serpae tetras!

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None!

3. Britslenose Pleco

• Scientific Name: Ancistrus cirrhosus
• Adult Size: 5 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 73 to 81 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 40 gallons
• Care Level: Easy to moderate difficulty
• Origin: Amazon

Bristlenose Plecos can get larger than the average serpae tetras, and require a little more in terms of water temperature. However, they are bottom-dwellers and peaceful by nature, making them suitable tank mates.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No Aggression
• No competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None

4. Bandit Cory

• Scientific Name: Corydoras Metae
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 72 to 79 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Colombia

This fish is easy to come by in terms of aquarium trade, and they add to this by being cute with small black bandit masks around their eyes! They are peaceful bottom-dwellers who will spend more time cleaning up after serpae tetras than causing any fights or competition.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None!

5. German Blue Ram

• Scientific Name: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
• Adult Size: 2 to 3 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 74 to 82 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 Gallons
• Care Level: Difficult
• Origin: South America

The things that make the German blue Ram so appealing as a tank mate are not only their peaceful temperaments unlike other cichlid species, but their blue and yellow, eye-catching coloring. They can be a little difficult to care for, however, thanks to needing a very particular level of water hardness and a complex environment of caves and plants.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• Special water hardness needs

6. Bloodfin Tetra

• Scientific Name: Aphyocharax anisitsi
• Adult Size: 2.5 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 64 to 83 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: South America

One of the best ways to compliment the warm color of your serpae tetra is with another of the tetra species sporting red find: the bloodfin tetra! It will make a good tank mate thanks to peaceful temperaments.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No competition
• No aggression

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None!

7. Neon Tetra

• Scientific Name: Paracheirodon innesi
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetra
• Water Temperature: 68 to 79 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Peru, Brazil

This tiny but iridescent fish is absolutely brilliant as a neighbor to its larger friend in the tetra family. Not only will it brighten up the aquarium, but it will offer no aggression toward the slightly larger serpae tetras. Just make sure to keep up to 6 of these little fellows together!

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No food competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• Needs a school of its own to remain confident.

8. Celestial Pearl Danio

• Scientific Name: Danio Margaritatus
• Adult Size: 1 inch
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 71 to 78 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Thailand

This absolutely gorgeous little fish is remarkable in detailed, patterned coloration which earn it other names like galaxy rasbora. It will create great visual interest in a tank without bothering your serpae tetra for food or bullying.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None!

9. Zebra Danio

• Scientific Name: Cyprinidae
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetra
• Water Temperature: 64 to 74 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: East India

The zebra danio is a very popular fish among collectors, not only because it is easy to come by, but because it works as a tank mate for so many fish. This includes the serpae tetra, which will have nothing to fear from zebra danios as long as they have a school of 6 for themselves.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None!

10. Swordtail Fish

• Scientific Name: Xixiphophorus helleri
• Adult Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 64 to 82 F
• Minimum Tank Size:20 Gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Mexico, South America

This fish is noted and named for it’s beautiful long fins, which accent it’s striking contrast in coloration perfectly. Your serpae tetra will be unbothered by this peaceful middle-dweller.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None!

11. Twig Catfish

• Scientific Name: Farlowella vittata
• Adult Size: 5 to 7 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 75 to 80 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 35 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Amazon

The twig catfish will be fun to have in your aquarium just to look at! It mainly keeps to the bottom of the aquarium or near plants, with a long, twig-like body and face. It will be a fun source of variety next to serpae tetras, and will not compete for food or become aggressive.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None!

12. Black Skirt Tetra

• Scientific Name: Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 68 to 79 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Bolivia, Rio Guapore, Rio Paraguay

As long as this lovely brethren of the serpae tetra has it’s own school of six, you’ll avoid any kind of turf wars between the two tetras species and be rewarded with visual interest in flowing black fins.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No food competition

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None, as long as each tetra comes in a group of 6/

13. Amano Shrimp

• Scientific Name: Caridina Multidentata
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetra
• Water Temperature: 60 to 80 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Japan

Aside from other fish, a shrimp like the almost-transparent, interesting amano shrimp can make the ideal tank mate for a serpae tetra. This is thanks to it’s tendency to keep to itself and clean up food at the bottom zone rather than bother tetras in the middle.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition
• Cleans up leftovers

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None!

14. Kuhli Loach

• Scientific Name: Pangio kuhlii
• Adult Size: 3 to 4 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetras
• Water Temperature: 73 to 86 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Southeast Asia

The kuhli loach is another long member of the fish family that can not only create a little variance in the community of your aquarium, but bother nobody as he slides along the bottom of the tank.

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition
• Eats detritus

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• None!

15. Nerite Snail

• Scientific Name: Vittina natalensis
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Compatible With: Serpae Tetra
• Water Temperature: 72 to 78 F
• Minimum Tank Size: 2 gallons
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Africa

The only difficulty in taking care of the nerite snail is in making sure the temperature remains just so; however, other than that, it mainly handles it’s own diet and bothers no fish, least of all your serpae tetra!

Pros of keeping with Serpae Tetra:

• No aggression
• No competition
• Easy to care for

Cons of keeping with Serpae Tetra :

• Temperature needs are specific

In Conclusion

To sum it all up, the 15 best serpae tetra tank mates are fish that are not only very similar in needs like tank size and water temperature, but compatible in terms of temperament matchups with the tetra’s generally peaceful personality. Some of these include bottom-dwellers like nerite snails and kuhli loaches, or other similarly sized fish like black skirt tetras.