Two of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish include neon tetras and guppies. Both are very easy to care for fish with fairly good temperaments and low maintenance requirements.
For this reason, many people wonder if it is possible to keep both of these fish together in the same tank. So, can neon tetras live with guppies? This simple answer here is yes, and let’s find out why.
Can Neon Tetras Live With Guppies?
To answer the question of whether or not these fish can live together, let’s take a closer look at their temperaments and ideal tank conditions. As you will see, both are fairly mildly tempered and require more or less the same tank conditions.
Temperament
One of the most important things to consider when housing multiple types of fish together is what their temperaments are like. You need to know that they will get along.
When it comes to guppies, these are very peaceful fish that have extremely mild temperaments. In fact, they have such a mild temperament that they often end up being bullied by other fish.
While male guppies can be a bit aggressive towards each other, they usually won’t be aggressive to other fish. Do keep in mind that as long as you have one male guppy for every two female fish, this should keep aggression to a minimum. Guppies certainly won’t be a problem in terms of temperament.
When it comes to neon tetras, these are also very mildly tempered fish. They really don’t cause any trouble in fish tanks. That said, they can nip on fins occasionally, which does include guppies.
However, as long as the fish have plenty of room to swim, this should not be a problem. A good way to avoid any problems on this front is to have at least six neon tetras in a school.
The bottom line here is that as long as both fish have enough room, keeping them together should not be a problem. They should get along perfectly fine.
Tank Conditions
Another important part of the equation to look at here are the conditions in which these fish need to live. In terms of guppies, they do like to have a good deal of vegetation in the tank to provide them with hiding places.
Guppies also like to have a good deal of rocks, driftwood, and some good substrate. Keep in mind that guppies require a tank that is at least 5 gallons.
The pH level should be between 6.8 and 7.8, with the temperature anywhere between 74 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can see, the tank conditions required for guppies are not very difficult to achieve.
The environment in which neon tetras live is quite similar. Just like guppies, neon tetras like very slow moving waters.
Neon tetras often live in slightly darker and murkier waters than guppies. However, this really just means that they like to have a lot of plants and vegetation in the water. Both fish like to have a lot of vegetation.
In terms of water conditions, neon tetras do fine when the water has a pH level between 6.0 and 7.0. The water temperature should be between 70 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
Therefore, if you are keeping both neon tetras and guppies together, keep the water around 80 degrees Fahrenheit with a pH level of between 6.9 and 7.0.
Diet
The other important part of the equation that you need to consider here is the diet. The good thing about neon tetras and guppies is that they have virtually the same diet. They are both omnivores, which means that they like to have both plant matter and meat.
Generally speaking, some good fish pellets or fish flakes will be more than enough to satisfy the needs of both fish. You can also try some freeze dried or frozen food, as well as the occasional piece of live food. Both guppies and neon tetras should be fed twice per day.
Additional Tips
Let’s provide you with a few additional tips to increase the chances of guppies and neon tetras living together in harmony.
- The most important thing to keep in mind here is that you should never have more than one inch of fish per gallon of water. With that being said, when keeping multiple types of fish together, you may want to increase this ratio a bit. If you are keeping neon tetras and guppies together, aim for around 1.5 gallons of water per inch of fish.
- When keeping these two fish together, to avoid confrontations, neon tetras should be in schools of at least six fish. Guppies should be kept in shoals of at least three fish. On that note, if you have six neon tetras and three guppies, a tank of at least 20 gallons is required.
Keeping Neon Tetras with Guppies
The bottom line here is that based on their diet, temperament, and tank condition requirements, neon tetras and guppies can easily live together.
Jenn Frazier
Aquarist & Writer 22+ Years