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Freshwater Fish Compatibility Chart & Guide

Freshwater Fish Compatibility Chart & Guide

Updated on March 20, 2024
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Reviewed by Don Spaeth
Petco’s National Aquatic Care, Education and Programs Manager

Freshwater Fish Compatability | Freshwater Fish Compatability Chart

Freshwater Fish Compatibility

Setting up a freshwater fish tank is an excellent way to enjoy the beautiful colors and companionship of fish and other aquatic life. Watching your freshwater fish swish and swim through their aquarium or small invertebrates, like cherry shrimp frolicking about, is relaxing and can bring an immediate smile to your face.

When setting up a freshwater fish tank or adding new fish to your finned family, it is important to make sure that you are creating an environment where all your fish and additional aquatic life will thrive. While many freshwater fish enjoy sharing their watery home with others, not all freshwater aquatic life are compatible with one another. To help understand what it takes to create a harmonious habitat for your fish, read on to learn more about what makes certain fish and other aquatic critters compatible. Then, use our handy freshwater fish compatibility chart to discover which aquatic life species will reside happily with one another.

Freshwater fish compatability

When picking new fish for your aquarium, it is important to understand what makes certain fish compatible with one another. Incompatible fish can lead to increased stress for all tank mates. This can result in illness, injury and an overall decline in health. There are three key areas of compatibility to consider when adding new fish to your family.

1. Fish temperaments

Not all fish have the same temperament. Depending on a fish's temperament, they may or may not enjoy the companionship of other fish.

Many community fish have a mild temperament. They do well as tank mates with other mild temperament fish and are the perfect pick for fish parents who want to have a variety of fish in a single tank.

Some fish have a semi-aggressive temperament. These fish might only do well with other semi-aggressive-tempered fish or specific fish species.

Finally, there are certain species of fish that are naturally more aggressive. These fish prefer to swim solo or can only hang out with specific like-minded tank makes.

Keep in mind that all fish are unique. Each fish will have its own personality. While the chart below highlights typical characteristics of certain fish, you may find your own fish differ. Always watch their interactions and look for any signs of stress or aggression. If you notice any of your fish are distressed, it might be best to separate and house them in their own tank.

2. Water Parameters

Beyond simply which fish and additional aquatic life species enjoy the company of others, there are specific water requirements that can differ by species as well. While it is easy to understand why freshwater and saltwater fish can't cohabitate, it is equally important to understand that even freshwater fish, invertebrates and plant life may need a different habitat. From the pH to the temperature of the water, what might make a comfortable home for one freshwater fish will not be for another. It is important to make sure that all your fish and additional aquatic life species share the same water and habitat requirements before housing them together.

Water Conditioner

pH Treatments

Water Test Kits

3. Food

After a long day of swimming, your finned family members will need an appropriate diet to stay healthy and strong. However, not all freshwater fish have the same dietary requirements. This can make certain aquatic life incompatible, as some fish cannot eat the same types of food. This can make it more difficult to feed these fish in the same home.

Freshwater Fish Food

Freshwater compatability chart

To discover which fish do best housed together or with other aquatic life species, check out the following compatible freshwater fish chart. You can use this chart to discover what aquatic life you might be able to add to your new or existing freshwater tank.

 

As you can see from the above chart, there are certain freshwater fish and aquatic life species that have higher levels of compatibility than others. Goldfish and koi are fish that will generally only do well with each other, whereas platies are usually peaceful community fish that adapt well with most other freshwater fish companions. To create a colorful freshwater tank, you might consider rasboras, another peaceful community fish.

Where do fish like to swim?

Most fish can be grouped into three categories based on the level of the water column they generally tend to occupy. The levels consist of the top swimmers, middle or mid swimmers, and bottom dwellers. Typically, you can determine the level a fish likes to spend most of their time based on the position of its mouth. Top swimming species tend to have an upturned mouth, this allows them to grab food from the surface. Fish with forward-facing mouths tend to be mid-water dwellers, allowing them to dart quickly through the water grabbing their meals. Lastly, bottom dwelling fish have bottom facing mouths that are intended to extract food from the substrate or floor of the aquarium.

A few of the fish species that prefer swimming towards the top of the aquarium consist of African butterfly fish, Killifish, Furcata Rainbowfish, Halfbeaks, Hatchetfish, Pencilfish and Arowanas. Species like labyrinth fish also tend to hover around the top to middle. These consist of Betta fish, Paradise fish and Gouramis. You will also find most mollies, guppies, and platies swimming at the top but they will travel into the middle level as well.

Some of the species that spend most of their day hovering in the middle of the tank are: Neons, Glowlight tetras, Black neons, Emperor tetras, Bleeding heart tetras, Tiger barbs, Denisoni barbs, Silver dollars, Discus, and Boesmans rainbows.

For bottom dwellers, these typically consist of your algae eating fish like Plecostomus, Otocinclus, Chinese algae eaters, and catfish like: Panda corys, Green corys, Bronze corys, Striped raphael catfish, Pictus catfish, and Synodontis eurpterus catfish. Loach species will also spend most of their days skimming the bottom of the tank, a couple familiar are species Clown loaches, Botia loaches, Redtail botias, Dojo loaches, and Kuhli loaches.

Knowing where these species spend most of their day will help you create a well-rounded aquarium when selecting aquatic life to make your aquatic oasis complete. As a reminder, always research any new species of aquatic life you are interested in adding to your aquarium to ensure a harmonious environment sure to bring you peace and relaxation. 

Creating a fun freshwater habitat

Building out a freshwater fish ecosystem is a wonderful way to add a colorful sense of tranquility to your home. With these finned family members, you can enjoy the antics of each fin flip and swish. And remember, you can always stop by a local Petco Pet Care Center to speak with an aquatic specialist with questions on the specific compatibility of your desired tank setup.

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