Aqua Tools

Compatibility check

Can Bristlenose pleco and Cardinal tetra live together?

Bristlenose pleco and Cardinal tetra may work, but the rule check found conditions that need careful planning.

caution

Quick answer

Recommended minimum tank for this pair: 40 US gal / 151 L. Keep Bristlenose pleco at 1+ and Cardinal tetra at 6+ where those group sizes are greater than one.

Factor breakdown

Factor Result Explanation
Water type OK Bristlenose pleco is freshwater; Cardinal tetra is freshwater. Compatibility pages are generated only for matching water types.
Temperature OK Temperature overlaps at 24-27 C. Bristlenose pleco is listed at 22-27 C; Cardinal tetra is listed at 24-29 C.
pH OK pH overlaps at 6-7. Bristlenose pleco is listed at 6-7.8; Cardinal tetra is listed at 4.5-7.
Hardness OK Hardness overlaps at 2-8 dGH. Bristlenose pleco is listed at 2-15 dGH; Cardinal tetra is listed at 1-8 dGH.
Adult size and predation Caution Adult size differs substantially (Bristlenose pleco: 13 cm; Cardinal tetra: 5 cm). Add cover and avoid housing juveniles with adults.
Temperament and aggression OK Bristlenose pleco (peaceful bottom grazer) and Cardinal tetra (peaceful schooling) do not have an obvious aggression clash in the dataset.
Fin nipping risk OK The dataset does not flag this pair as a fin-nipper plus long-finned combination.
Schooling and group needs OK Plan around full groups, not single display fish. Minimum group sizes: Cardinal tetra: 6+.
Explicit avoid tags OK No explicit avoid-tag conflict was found between these two records.
Minimum combined tank size OK Use at least 40 US gallons (151 L) for the pair, based on the larger minimum tank plus bioload and activity adjustments where relevant.

Species profiles

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Sources and attribution

Source links are verification references for taxonomy and identifiers. Care values are AI-generated from common hobby consensus and need expert review.