TankStocking

Can Freshwater Angelfish live with Cardinal Tetra?

No — not recommended for most keepers. As set up here, Freshwater Angelfish and Cardinal Tetra should not share a tank. Here is why, and what to keep instead.

By the TankStocking team · methodology-driven, sourced from aquarium care references Data v2026.06 · last reviewed How we judge this →

The planner's verdict

Freshwater Angelfish + Cardinal Tetra

✕ Not recommended

1× Freshwater Angelfish, 6× Cardinal Tetra

The engine flags this pairing on welfare grounds — see why below, and what to keep instead.

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Freshwater Angelfish vs Cardinal Tetra: key facts

A neutral, side-by-side look at each species' sourced stats. These are figures only — the verdict above states whether they should share a tank.

Key facts side by side — Freshwater Angelfish vs Cardinal Tetra (sourced stats only)
Key factFreshwater AngelfishCardinal Tetra
Adult size15 cm3 cm
Minimum tank29 US gal15 US gal
Minimum group16+ (shoal)
TemperamentSemi-aggressivePeaceful
Temperature range24–30°C23–29°C
pH range6–7.54–7.5
BioloadMediumLow
Swim levelMidwaterMidwater
Beginner-friendlyYesYes

Why, at a glance

Drawn straight from the sourced figures above, using the same thresholds the engine applies — these show the data behind the verdict, not a separate opinion.

Temperature range overlap — Freshwater Angelfish vs Cardinal Tetra Shared temperature window: 24–29°C (5°C overlap). Both ranges include it. Freshwater Angelfish: 24–30°C Cardinal Tetra: 23–29°C shared 14°C32°C
Temperature range overlap. Shared temperature window: 24–29°C (5°C overlap). Both ranges include it.
pH range overlap — Freshwater Angelfish vs Cardinal Tetra Shared pH range: 6–7.5. Both prefer water within it. Freshwater Angelfish: 6–7.5 Cardinal Tetra: 4–7.5 shared 48.5
pH range overlap. Shared pH range: 6–7.5. Both prefer water within it.
Adult size to scale — Freshwater Angelfish vs Cardinal Tetra Freshwater Angelfish (15 cm) is 5× the length of Cardinal Tetra (3 cm) — large enough to eat it. Freshwater Angelfish: 15 cm Cardinal Tetra: 3 cm 10.5 cm = 3.5× line 0 cm
Adult size to scale. Freshwater Angelfish (15 cm) is 5× the length of Cardinal Tetra (3 cm) — large enough to eat it.
Sources & confidence (2 species)

These back the Freshwater Angelfish and Cardinal Tetra figures used for this verdict. Each figure is read from the TankStocking species database (v2026.06); below is the care reference behind it and how confident we are in that data. Confidence reflects the source quality, not whether any pairing is safe. Full source list and the welfare model are on the methodology page.

  • Freshwater Angelfish Pterophyllum scalare — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/pterophyllum-scalare) high confidence
  • Cardinal Tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/paracheirodon-axelrodi) high confidence

Why

  • Freshwater Angelfish (15 cm) will likely eat Cardinal Tetra (3 cm).
Why this doesn't work: Freshwater Angelfish (15 cm) will likely eat Cardinal Tetra (3 cm). Rather than force it, keep Freshwater Angelfish with tankmates the engine clears — see the engine-cleared alternatives below.

Engine-cleared alternatives for Freshwater Angelfish

Tankmates the engine clears with Freshwater Angelfish — tap to load the pairing. "Engine-cleared" means they pass the welfare checks; still research each before committing.

Bamboo Shrimp (Wood/Fan Shrimp)Boesemani RainbowfishBolivian RamBrilliant RasboraBristlenose PlecoCelebes RainbowfishClown PlecoCongo TetraDwarf GouramiGold Barb

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      Verdict

      Common questions

      Can Freshwater Angelfish live with Cardinal Tetra?

      No — not recommended for most keepers. As set up here, Freshwater Angelfish and Cardinal Tetra should not share a tank. Here is why, and what to keep instead. TankStocking's engine reaches this by checking minimum tank size, group needs, temperature overlap, aggression, predation by size and fin-nipping for this exact pairing.

      What should I keep with Freshwater Angelfish instead of Cardinal Tetra?

      Freshwater Angelfish and Cardinal Tetra should not share a tank (freshwater angelfish (15 cm) will likely eat cardinal tetra (3 cm)). Instead, keep Freshwater Angelfish with tankmates the engine clears, such as Bamboo Shrimp (Wood/Fan Shrimp), Boesemani Rainbowfish, Bolivian Ram, Brilliant Rasbora. See the Freshwater Angelfish tank mates guide for the full list.

      Related to Freshwater Angelfish & Cardinal Tetra

      Related guides on TankStocking — each scored by the same welfare engine as the planner.

      Full tank-mate guides

      More compatibility guides

      How many fit a tank?

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      This is a planning estimate based on sourced species data — individual fish vary. See the methodology, the Freshwater Angelfish tank mates guide, or the full fish list.