The short answer
Neon tetras are small, peaceful schooling fish, so their best tankmates are other calm fish of a similar size that won’t eat or bully them. Reliable choices include:
- More neon tetras — keep a school of at least six, ideally ten-plus
- Other small shoalers like ember tetras or harlequin rasboras
- Corydoras and kuhli loaches (peaceful bottom dwellers)
- Otocinclus, cherry shrimp and nerite snails
School them, then choose calm neighbours
The first rule is numbers: a big school makes neons confident and colourful. Once that’s sorted, pick tankmates that match their gentle nature. Avoid two groups: predators big enough to eat a neon (angelfish, larger cichlids, big gouramis) and fin-nippers or bullies like tiger barbs and serpae tetras that will harass them. Fast, aggressive feeders can also outcompete slow-feeding neons.
Give them a mature, planted tank
Neon tetras are sensitive to poor water quality and do best in a mature, well-planted tank with soft, slightly acidic water and gentle flow. Never add them to a freshly cycled aquarium. Plants and subdued lighting bring out their blue-and-red stripe and give them cover.
For the ideal group size, see how many neon tetras to keep together, and check how many fish you can keep before stocking. Read the full neon tetra care guide, and for more ideas see the best nano fish for a small tank.