Compatibility Report
GuideMyTank compatibility analysis for Cardinal Tetra and Clown Loach.
Planning verdict
cautionOnly plan this pair if every listed condition can be met, and have a separation plan if stress or aggression appears.
No automatic safety blocker was found.
Cardinal Tetra and Clown Loach receive a conditional verdict from the current structured assessment. Cardinal Tetra is recorded as peaceful with an aggression level of 1/10; Clown Loach is recorded as peaceful with an aggression level of 2/10. The recommendation is based on the combined water, space, behavior, grouping, and predation checks below rather than on species names alone.
Cardinal Tetra has a recorded temperature range of 73–84°F and pH range of 5–7. Clown Loach is recorded at 75–86°F and pH 6–7.5. Their shared planning window is 75–84°F for temperature and 6–7 for pH. A shared aquarium must stay inside the overlap rather than merely touching each species’ outer tolerance.
Clown Loach sets the larger listed base aquarium requirement at 100 gallons; the other listed minimum is 20 gallons. Clown Loach is the larger adult by the recorded maximum, reaching 12 inches, compared with 2 inches. These figures are starting constraints, not a stocking-capacity calculation, because the complete group sizes and bioload still matter.
Cardinal Tetra is a calm species associated with the mid zone and moderate flow. Clown Loach is active, uses the bottom zone, and has a moderate flow preference. Cardinal Tetra should be planned as a group of at least 8, while clown loach should be planned as a group of at least 6. The aquarium must support both social structures without forcing either species into insufficient space.
Cardinal Tetra is recorded as a omnivore with intermediate care, while Clown Loach is a omnivore with advanced care. Their listed preferred tank styles are blackwater and planted. Feeding access, cover, open swimming room, filtration, and observation should be planned around the more demanding requirement rather than averaged between the two species.
Use these pair-specific boundaries before treating the verdict as an acceptable stocking plan.
Only plan this pair if every listed condition can be met, and have a separation plan if stress or aggression appears.
These references support the underlying species records used by this assessment. They do not necessarily evaluate this exact pair together.
Continue with the most relevant care and compatibility resources for Cardinal Tetra and Clown Loach.