Species · Hyphessobrycon eques

Serpae tetra: tank size, water and tank mates

Notorious fin nipper; avoid slow or long-finned tankmates.

Adult size4 cm (1.6 in)
Minimum tank20 US gal
Temperature23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
pH5–7.5
Temperamentsemi-aggressive
Keep in groups of12+
Swimsmid
Shrimp & snailsCaution

Fin nipper: avoid long-finned tank mates such as bettas, fancy guppies and angelfish.

Check a tank with Serpae tetra

Good tank mates for Serpae tetra

These species share its temperature range and temperament, with no fin-nipping or predation risk under our rules. Still check your tank size and bioload in the checker.

African dwarf frog · Banjo catfish · Black neon tetra · Black phantom tetra · Black ruby barb · Black skirt tetra · Bleeding heart tetra · Bloodfin tetra · Bristlenose pleco · Bronze corydoras · Buenos Aires tetra · Bumblebee goby · Cardinal tetra · Celestial pearl danio · Checkerboard barb · Cherry barb · Clown killifish · Clown pleco · Cockatoo dwarf cichlid · Colombian tetra · Diamond tetra · Dwarf gourami · Dwarf neon rainbowfish · Dwarf pencilfish

Avoid with Serpae tetra

African butterflyfish (predation) · Banded archerfish (predation) · Black ghost knifefish (predation) · Blue acara (predation) · Boeseman's rainbowfish (temperature) · Common / comet goldfish (temperature) · Convict cichlid (predation) · Discus (temperature) · Fancy goldfish (temperature) · German blue ram (temperature) · Jack Dempsey (predation) · Jewel cichlid (predation) · Medaka (temperature) · Oscar (predation) · Paradise fish (temperature) · Pictus catfish (predation) · Rosy barb (temperature) · Senegal bichir (predation)

Sources

Checked 2026-11-09 · confidence: high. These are cautious community guidelines, not guarantees. Not veterinary advice. Report an error.