Troubleshooting community setups: see the compatibility result using temperature, pH, GH/KH, adult size, behavior, schooling needs, and predator/prey rules.
Short answer: No, this pairing should usually be avoided. Plan for at least 125 gallons before adjusting for group size, filtration, and aquascape layout.
Data confidence: high
Verified sources: Nimbochromis venustus overview
venustus cichlid | ember tetra | venustus cichlid | ember tetra
Yes, this is a major risk. Adult Venustus Cichlid reach about 10", while Ember Tetra stay near 0.8". That size gap can turn Ember Tetra into prey, especially at night, during feeding, or once the larger fish is fully grown.
Venustus Cichlid and Ember Tetra do not share a comfortable long-term pH or hardness plan. Forcing soft-water fish into hard alkaline water, or hard-water fish into soft acidic water, can create chronic osmotic stress even when the fish appear fine for a short time in a store tank.
This verdict assumes normal social groups, not one stressed specimen. Ember Tetra should be planned at 8+ before judging long-term compatibility.
A compatibility score checks adult size, temperature, pH, hardness, temperament, and tank volume. Real tanks add variables the score cannot see directly: feeding aggression, cave ownership, plant cover, and whether fish can constantly see each other.
Venustus Cichlid and Ember Tetra use different swim zones, but feeding time and open sightlines can still change behavior. Start with at least 125 gallons, then use hardscape, tall plants, and separated feeding zones to reduce chasing before it becomes a pattern.
Observed photo context
These photos show observed aquarium setups for the selected species. They are useful context, but they do not change the compatibility result or replace tank-size, temperament, group-size, and water-parameter checks.
Confidence: high. Aggression, predator/prey, shrimp risk, schooling, and tank size rules are evaluated from curated freshwater attributes.
Problems can happen even when the gallon number is technically adequate. Check feeding order, repeated access to the same cave or plant mass, school size, and whether the aquascape gives either fish a direct line of sight across the whole tank.
If either species uses the lower half of the tank, add more broken sightlines and avoid placing all food in one corner. Bottom pressure is more about usable floor space than total water volume.
Use tall plants, rock piles, driftwood, and separate feeding stations so a dominant fish cannot patrol one open lane from end to end.