Compatibility check
Can Cardinal tetra and Harlequin rasbora live together?
Cardinal tetra and Harlequin rasbora may work, but the rule check found conditions that need careful planning.
caution
Quick answer
Recommended minimum tank for this pair: 15 US gal / 57 L. Keep Cardinal tetra at 6+ and Harlequin rasbora at 6+ where those group sizes are greater than one.
Factor breakdown
| Factor | Result | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Water type | OK | Cardinal tetra is freshwater; Harlequin rasbora is freshwater. Compatibility pages are generated only for matching water types. |
| Temperature | OK | Temperature overlaps at 24-28 C. Cardinal tetra is listed at 24-29 C; Harlequin rasbora is listed at 23-28 C. |
| pH | OK | pH overlaps at 6-7. Cardinal tetra is listed at 4.5-7; Harlequin rasbora is listed at 6-7.5. |
| Hardness | OK | Hardness overlaps at 2-8 dGH. Cardinal tetra is listed at 1-8 dGH; Harlequin rasbora is listed at 2-12 dGH. |
| Adult size and predation | OK | Adult sizes are not an obvious predator-prey mismatch (Cardinal tetra: 5 cm; Harlequin rasbora: 5 cm). |
| Temperament and aggression | OK | Cardinal tetra (peaceful schooling) and Harlequin rasbora (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 | Caution | Plan around full groups, not single display fish. Minimum group sizes: Cardinal tetra: 6+; Harlequin rasbora: 6+. |
| Explicit avoid tags | OK | No explicit avoid-tag conflict was found between these two records. |
| Minimum combined tank size | OK | Use at least 15 US gallons (57 L) for the pair, based on the larger minimum tank plus bioload and activity adjustments where relevant. |
Species profiles
- Cardinal tetra - Paracheirodon axelrodi
- Harlequin rasbora - Trigonostigma heteromorpha
Related compatibility checks
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.
- Cardinal tetra
- Wikidata search - Taxonomy/identifier verification lead only.
- GBIF species search - Taxonomy verification lead only.
- Harlequin rasbora
- Wikidata search - Taxonomy/identifier verification lead only.
- GBIF species search - Taxonomy verification lead only.