Can Peacock Bass Orinocensis and Red Phantom Tetra Live Together?

Peacock Bass Orinocensis is a semi-aggressive species (8/10), while Red Phantom Tetra is peaceful (1/10). This notable difference means Peacock Bass Orinocensis may occasionally assert dominance over Red Phantom Tetra.

Large aggression gap (7 points) between Peacock Bass Orinocensis and Red Phantom Tetra increases stress risk for the more peaceful fish.

Peacock Bass Orinocensis and Red Phantom Tetra both frequent the Middle (Open Water) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

There is a critical concern: the Piscivore (Eats small/nano fish) behaviour of one fish directly conflicts with the Nano / Bite-sized (Predation Risk) trait of the other — piscivorous fish will prey on nano-sized tank mates..

Additional behavioural considerations to keep in mind: Aggressive fish may bully and stress shy, slow-moving species. Hyperactive swimmers can stress shy, slow-moving species through constant motion.

Worth noting: Peacock Bass Orinocensis is a known jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential.

There is no temperature overlap between Peacock Bass Orinocensis (26–31°C) and Red Phantom Tetra (20–24°C). This fundamental mismatch makes long-term cohabitation impractical.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 2–10 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house Peacock Bass Orinocensis and Red Phantom Tetra together, plan for an aquarium of at least 750 litres with a minimum length of 200 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Providing a mix of open swimming space and sheltered areas with rocks, driftwood, or plants will keep both species comfortable and allow natural behaviour.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Sand (Sifters), Smooth Gravel (Sensitive Barbels), Driftwood (Digestion/Hiding), Plants - Densely covered, Plants - Floating, Leaf Litter/Blackwater. Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Both species do well with moderate (standard) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.

Peacock Bass Orinocensis and Red Phantom Tetra are the kind of pair that can look acceptable in a shop but become a maintenance problem at home. The main risk is not a single number in the chart; it is the way incompatible behavior, water needs, or pressure on space compounds over time once both fish are established in the same tank.