Smallmouth bass
Micropterus dolomieu
- Tank length
- 240 cmabout 8 ft (94 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 10–30 °C50–86 °F
- pH
- 7–7.5
- Adult size
- 35 cm14 in
- Lifespan
- 10–15 yrs
A cool-water game fish that becomes a large predator; it needs a huge, chilled, well-oxygenated tank and eats any fish it can swallow.A cool-water game fish that becomes a large predator; it needs a huge, chilled, well-oxygenated tank and eats any fish it can swallow.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- African butterfly cichlid
Smallmouth bass may eat African butterfly cichlidSmallmouth bass may eat African butterfly cichlid
- African clawed frog
Smallmouth bass may eat African clawed frogSmallmouth bass may eat African clawed frog
- Agassiz's cory
Smallmouth bass may eat Agassiz's corySmallmouth bass may eat Agassiz's cory
- Ajamaru rainbowfish
Smallmouth bass may eat Ajamaru rainbowfishSmallmouth bass may eat Ajamaru rainbowfish
Amano shrimpSmallmouth bass may eat Amano shrimpSmallmouth bass may eat Amano shrimp
- American flagfish
Smallmouth bass may eat American flagfishSmallmouth bass may eat American flagfish
- Angfa rainbowfish
Smallmouth bass may eat Angfa rainbowfishSmallmouth bass may eat Angfa rainbowfish
- Arfak rainbowfish
Smallmouth bass may eat Arfak rainbowfishSmallmouth bass may eat Arfak rainbowfish
Assassin snailSmallmouth bass may eat Assassin snailSmallmouth bass may eat Assassin snail
- Banded gourami
Smallmouth bass may eat Banded gouramiSmallmouth bass may eat Banded gourami
- Bandit cory
Smallmouth bass may eat Bandit corySmallmouth bass may eat Bandit cory
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 10–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7–7.5 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 5–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | Eastern North America | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | advanced | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | active | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | predatory | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 10–15 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 36 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 240 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |