# Can Boesemani rainbows and Neon tetras be kept together?



## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

I've not kept them together, but Boesmanis get quite large and are very active fish, so I believe they would intimidate the gentle, peaceful Neons and stress them.
You could try it, but I don't believe it's a good compatibility match-up.


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## Roshan8768 (Mar 18, 2009)

How big are the rainbows? If your tank is well planted and you get atleast 20-30 neons, they will do fine provided your rainbows don't attack them on sight. I've had luck keeping them with rainbows when they were added when the rainbows were around 2". I tried later on when they were 4"+ to add some numbers to my school and it was obvious that they would become food.

Short answer~ it depends on your fish


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## Avianwing (Dec 15, 2009)

My Rainbows are a little over 3 inches! Are Boesemani's capable of eating the Neons? I wouldn't want to try something which causes undue suffering either to the Neons or the Rainbows.


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## RugburnTanks (Mar 31, 2015)

I keep rainbows with neons and they do fine. If you don't give them enough room the neon might get stressed though.


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## RugburnTanks (Mar 31, 2015)

Rainbows can't eat neon because they have narrow throats


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Angels can eat Neons, and the temperature requirements are different for these fish.


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## RugburnTanks (Mar 31, 2015)

Angels only eat neons if the angel is added first and it big. Bosemani do not eat neon. They have small throats


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## Avianwing (Dec 15, 2009)

RugburnTanks said:


> Rainbows can't eat neon because they have narrow throats


Thank you for the response! Considering that the Rainbows have already established themselves and the Neons will be new, will there be any harassment?

Bump:


Diana said:


> Angels can eat Neons, and the temperature requirements are different for these fish.


Hi Diana

I live in Bangalore and both Rainbows and Neons thrive in room temperature ; so I assume it is just a matter of compatability.


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## Roshan8768 (Mar 18, 2009)

They won't eat them, as mentioned above they have small throats. But if the neons are small they may TRY to eat them which results in some beat up and dying neons. I'd find a different fish or be willing to risk losing some


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## Avianwing (Dec 15, 2009)

discuspaul said:


> I've not kept them together, but Boesmanis get quite large and are very active fish, so I believe they would intimidate the gentle, peaceful Neons and stress them.
> You could try it, but I don't believe it's a good compatibility match-up.


I should have listened to you. I got 50 neon tetras and had introduced them yesterday evening. I lost 33 of them. They we preyed upon by the Male rainbows. 

I saved 17 of them and transferred them to another tank. This is probably the worst ever aquarium day of my life. I request all others not to ever try this . I have seen tanks with these two fishes together. But those were probably tanks in which Neons were introduced first and allowed to settle before introduction of the rainbows.


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

They took out 33 neons in one day? I'm rather impressed, honestly, though I'm sorry it went so poorly.


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## Avianwing (Dec 15, 2009)

Betta132 said:


> They took out 33 neons in one day? I'm rather impressed, honestly, though I'm sorry it went so poorly.


Well about 2 fish died and were not eaten. All the rest were eaten by the 6 males. It was like the crocodiles and those small antelopes in the masai river crossing.


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## loach guy (Jun 2, 2014)

From the research I had done, neons are what angels eat in the wild. I am surprised your rainbows could do that kind of damage. Sorry for your loss.


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## drdream (Feb 26, 2019)

*Don't believe the hype*

I see all the same points everywhere "they have small throats, so tetras will be fine".. I do have a Rainbowfish (not sure exact breed but only the color varies, I didnt realize he got maybe 4" now). I bought 10 Neon tetras a couple months ago, only saw 3 before I could count them, then they dissappeared too.. I didnt suspect the Rainbow because "they have small throats, they won't bother smaller tank mates".. I suspected water quality problems.. Couple months later I bought new Tetras (they were tiny but Tetras are tiny anyway).. This time I just sat there and watched how the Rainbow stalked them like Jaws and hunted them down one by one even waiting for them to come out of hiding.. There were 2 left and he left them alone... for a bit.. until he was hungry again... It was awful to watch, because you see a spec of purple.. then boom its gone in a nanosecond. 

So the choice becomes No More tiny fish, or no more big fish. It doesn't matter the species.. ANY Fish will eat any other fish that they can eat period. Anyways I think I will remove the big fish and keep the smaller ones. But don't believe everything you read online.


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