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Compatibility

Compatibility brief

Can Molly live with Neon Tetra?

Molly

Molly

Poecilia sphenops

peaceful~10cm
Neon Tetra

Neon Tetra

Paracheirodon innesi

peaceful~4cm
VerdictRISKY

Risky. This mix is commonly discouraged for typical setups.

Molly + Neon Tetra: Known incompatible pairing. Water chemistry incompatibility. Mollies need hard alkaline water (pH 7.5+, hard) and neons want soft acidic (pH 6.5 to 7.0, soft). Both survive mid-range but neither displays full health long-term. Real tanks add variables Fishori cannot model; treat this as a high-risk read, not certainty.

Compatibility score

5/100

Profile confidence: medium

Order of checkstank volume vs adults → predation mouth gap → temperament / fin nipping → shared water windows.

Min tank

80L

Combined minimum footprint reference for these two species: about 80L (larger active fish often want more length).

Temperature
Range in °C24–26°C shared
MollyNeon TetraShared window
pH
RangeNo shared window
MollyNeon Tetra

Assessment details

  1. Known incompatible pairing

    Top issue

    Water chemistry incompatibility. Mollies need hard alkaline water (pH 7.5+, hard) and neons want soft acidic (pH 6.5 to 7.0, soft). Both survive mid-range but neither displays full health long-term.

  2. Compatible temperaments

    Both Molly and Neon Tetra share a peaceful temperament.

  3. Narrow temperature overlap

    Molly and Neon Tetra have only a narrow shared temperature range. Maintaining stable water temperature will be important.

  4. Incompatible pH requirements

    Molly prefers pH 7.5–8.5 and Neon Tetra prefers pH 6–7. Their ranges do not overlap.

  5. Hardness preference mismatch

    Molly prefers hard water and Neon Tetra prefers soft water. One of them lives outside its comfort band long-term — pick the tank's water for the more sensitive species.

“Water chemistry incompatibility”

Known incompatible pairing

Next steps

Concrete changes, not "research more" filler.

  • •Neon Tetra should be kept in a group of at least 6 for best health and behaviour.
Sources from both profiles
Only URLs that exist on the species records are shown. We do not fabricate citations.

Try this next

Build the full stocking list with Molly + Neon Tetra

Compare another pairOpen tank builder

Plan further

Check each species’ mates list, size the glass, then verify the full stock in the builder. Methodology explains how verdicts are produced.

Individual fish vary in personality. Fishori uses conservative hobby rules. Observe any new introduction closely, feed thoughtfully, and keep a quarantine or backup plan. This is not veterinary advice.

Profile data confidence: high. Checked against several solid care sources that mostly agree.

Full tank-mate guides

Related pair checks

Other tank mates for Molly

Molly + Neon Tetra — common questions

Can Molly live with Neon Tetra?
For most keepers, no. The verdict is RISKY: at least one check fails hard for a typical home tank. Choose a different pairing, or read the assessment details on this page to see exactly what fails before deciding.
What tank size do you need for Molly and Neon Tetra together?
Plan around 80 litres as the working minimum. That figure comes from each species' published minimum and their group needs, and it assumes adult sizes, not shop sizes.
What's the main risk?
Known incompatible pairing. That is the check that fails outright for this pair. The matching entry under assessment details on this page explains the reasoning and the numbers behind it.
What should you check before buying?
Neon Tetra should be kept in a group of at least 6 for best health and behaviour.