Congo Tetra

An African characin with iridescent rainbow flanks and long flowing fins on males. Peaceful and undemanding, but at three inches it needs swimming room and calm, similarly sized tank mates.

• Minimum footprint: 20 gallons; a 30+ gallon tank gives real swimming room.
• Preferred swimming zone: middle of the water column.
• Social — keep a group of at least 6.
• Care level: easy.

• Temperature: 73–80°F
• pH: 6–7.5
• Hardness: 3–15 dGH (Moderate)

Stable parameters matter more than perfect ones — aim for consistency before chasing an exact number.

peaceful

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An omnivore — offer a staple flake or pellet plus regular frozen or live foods (daphnia, bloodworm, brine shrimp) and some vegetable matter for balance.

• Neon Tetra
• Guppy
• Bronze Corydoras
• Harlequin Rasbora
• Zebra Danio
• Platy

A further 1 species pair with Congo Tetra as conditional — workable with the right tank and precautions.

Standard tanks at or above the recommended 30 gallons:

• 30 gallon 36 × 12 × 16″
• 40 gallon Breeder 36 × 18 × 16″
• 40 gallon Long 48 × 12 × 16″
• All tank sizes

• Start from a 20 gallon minimum and plan the full group size (6+) before you buy.
• Activity level is moderate, which affects how much of the tank it uses and how much it adds to the bioload.
• Zoning matters: this species lives mostly in the middle zone, so choose tank mates that occupy other levels.

Compatibility depends on tank size, water chemistry, temperament, and adult size. Run a full check against any species in our database.

• FishBase(Scientific Database, accessed 2026-09-20)
• SeriouslyFish(Specialist Publication, accessed 2026-09-20)
• Practical Fishkeeping(Specialist Publication, accessed 2026-09-20)
• Aquarium Forge editorial guidelines(Editorial Interpretation, accessed 2026-09-22)

Data reviewed: September 2026 · Data version: 2026.11
Editorial note: Minimum tank recommendations may vary by source and husbandry approach. Our figures synthesise the sources above for planning purposes.