Purple Firefish tank mates
Nemateleotris decora
5 rated pairings from the Purple Firefish care guide. Compatibility here means water, temperament, tank zone and adult size all line up — the note on each card says why. Purple Firefish needs at least 20 gallons on its own; every companion adds to that.
Excellent matches
2 · Same water, complementary zones, no conflict.Good matches
3 · Compatible with normal care — watch space and numbers.Pistol Shrimp
Alpheus randalli
20 gal min · 2" adult · Semi-aggressive
Both bottom-dwellers; pistol shrimp may form symbiotic relationships with firefish
Cleaner Shrimp
Lysmata amboinensis
30 gal min · 2.5" adult · Peaceful
Reef-safe invertebrate; minimal aggression toward small fish
Pajama Cardinalfish
Sphaeramia nematoptera
30 gal min · 3.5" adult · Peaceful
Peaceful nocturnal fish with non-overlapping activity patterns
Planning this tank?
Run the whole stock list through the calculator — it checks bioload and schooling numbers, not just pairings.