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Compatibility Report

Can Endler's Livebearer Live With Freshwater Butterflyfish?

GuideMyTank compatibility analysis for Endler's Livebearer and Freshwater Butterflyfish.

Planning verdict

incompatible

Not recommended

Do not plan a shared aquarium for this pair. Choose a different tank mate or maintain separate aquariums.

Data confidence
high
Assessment source
Structured data model
Data completeness
100%

Blocking risks

  • Size and diet create a predation risk.

Conditions and cautions

  • One species may be semi-aggressive and require planning.
  • One species should be maintained in a proper school or group.
  • Tank size requirements differ moderately.
  • Water hardness preferences conflict.
  • GH or KH ranges do not overlap well.
  • Specialist tank style requirements need careful matching.

Supporting factors

  • Temperature ranges overlap well.
  • pH requirements overlap well.
Endler's Livebearer profileFreshwater Butterflyfish profileMethodology and limitations

Why This Pair Received Its Verdict

Endler's Livebearer and Freshwater Butterflyfish receive a not recommended verdict from the current structured assessment. Endler's Livebearer is recorded as peaceful with an aggression level of 1/10; Freshwater Butterflyfish is recorded as semi-aggressive with an aggression level of 4/10. The recommendation is based on the combined water, space, behavior, grouping, and predation checks below rather than on species names alone.

  • Temperature ranges overlap well.
  • pH requirements overlap well.
  • One species may be semi-aggressive and require planning.
  • One species should be maintained in a proper school or group.

Helpful Links

Use the Compatibility CheckerRead the Compatibility Disclaimer

Water Parameter Overlap

Endler's Livebearer has a recorded temperature range of 72–82°F and pH range of 6.5–8. Freshwater Butterflyfish is recorded at 73–86°F and pH 6.5–7.2. Their shared planning window is 73–82°F for temperature and 6.5–7.2 for pH. A shared aquarium must stay inside the overlap rather than merely touching each species’ outer tolerance.

Aquarium Space and Adult Size

Freshwater Butterflyfish sets the larger listed base aquarium requirement at 30 gallons; the other listed minimum is 10 gallons. Freshwater Butterflyfish is the larger adult by the recorded maximum, reaching 5 inches, compared with 1.2 inches. These figures are starting constraints, not a stocking-capacity calculation, because the complete group sizes and bioload still matter.

Behavior and Social Requirements

Endler's Livebearer is a active species associated with the top zone and moderate flow. Freshwater Butterflyfish is moderate, uses the top zone, and has a low flow preference. Endler's Livebearer should be planned as a group of at least 3, while freshwater butterflyfish does not have a recorded minimum school larger than one. The aquarium must support both social structures without forcing either species into insufficient space.

Husbandry Fit

Endler's Livebearer is recorded as a omnivore with easy care, while Freshwater Butterflyfish is a carnivore with advanced care. Their listed preferred tank styles are planted and blackwater. Feeding access, cover, open swimming room, filtration, and observation should be planned around the more demanding requirement rather than averaged between the two species.

What Would Change the Decision?

Use these pair-specific boundaries before treating the verdict as an acceptable stocking plan.

  • Do not proceed unless one stable temperature and pH range can be maintained for both Endler's Livebearer and Freshwater Butterflyfish; acclimation does not correct an incompatible long-term range.
  • Treat size, predation, and fin-damage warnings as stop conditions. Extra plants cannot reliably make an unsafe predator-to-prey or fin-target pairing safe.
  • Use broken sight lines and multiple retreats, then separate the pair if either species shows persistent chasing, hiding, clamped fins, or loss of feeding access.
  • Recalculate space using the full adult group sizes—not one specimen of each species—and reject the plan if either species must be understocked socially to fit.
  • A different tank mate is the preferred decision for this pair. Attempting the combination transfers the identified risk to the animals rather than resolving it.

Aquarium Planning Checklist

  • Keep temperature within 73–82°F.
  • Keep pH within 6.5–7.2.
  • Use at least the larger 30-gallon base requirement before accounting for the complete stocking plan.
  • Endler's Livebearer should be planned as a group of at least 3; freshwater butterflyfish does not have a recorded minimum school larger than one.
  • Choose separate aquariums or a different tank mate instead of attempting to manage a known blocking risk.

Final Recommendation

Do not plan a shared aquarium for this pair. Choose a different tank mate or maintain separate aquariums.

Sources and Data Provenance

These references support the underlying species records used by this assessment. They do not necessarily evaluate this exact pair together.

  • fishbase.secare · medium confidence
  • fishbase.secare · medium confidence
  • en.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · medium confidence
  • en.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · medium confidence
  • es.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · medium confidence
Read the full methodology and limitations
Report quality
supported
Analysis version
2026.09.1
Species data updated
Jul 2, 2026
Review status
Structured automated assessment

Related Resources

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