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Compatibility Report

Can Freshwater Butterflyfish Live With Harlequin Rasbora?

GuideMyTank compatibility analysis for Freshwater Butterflyfish and Harlequin Rasbora.

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 slightly.

Supporting factors

  • Temperature ranges overlap well.
  • pH requirements overlap well.
Freshwater Butterflyfish profileHarlequin Rasbora profileMethodology and limitations

Why This Pair Received Its Verdict

Freshwater Butterflyfish and Harlequin Rasbora receive a not recommended verdict from the current structured assessment. Freshwater Butterflyfish is recorded as semi-aggressive with an aggression level of 4/10; Harlequin Rasbora is recorded as peaceful with an aggression level of 1/10. 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

Freshwater Butterflyfish has a recorded temperature range of 73–86°F and pH range of 6.5–7.2. Harlequin Rasbora is recorded at 73–82°F and pH 6–7.5. 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 20 gallons. Freshwater Butterflyfish is the larger adult by the recorded maximum, reaching 5 inches, compared with 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

Freshwater Butterflyfish is a moderate species associated with the top zone and low flow. Harlequin Rasbora is active, uses the mid zone, and has a moderate flow preference. Freshwater Butterflyfish does not have a recorded minimum school larger than one, while harlequin rasbora should be planned as a group of at least 8. The aquarium must support both social structures without forcing either species into insufficient space.

Husbandry Fit

Freshwater Butterflyfish is recorded as a carnivore with advanced care, while Harlequin Rasbora is a omnivore with easy care. Their listed preferred tank styles are blackwater 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 Freshwater Butterflyfish and Harlequin Rasbora; 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.
  • Freshwater Butterflyfish does not have a recorded minimum school larger than one; harlequin rasbora should be planned as a group of at least 8.
  • 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
  • thesprucepets.comcare · medium confidence
  • en.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · 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

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