Can apistogramma live with tinfoil barbs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Apistogramma and tinfoil barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown tinfoil barb may treat small apistogramma as food, especially at night.

Apistogramma75–84°F · pH 5–7

Tinfoil barb72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outA grown tinfoil barb may treat small apistogramma as food, especially at night.
Watch outTinfoil barbs grow to 12 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for apistogramma.

What works

Both are fine at 75–80°F.
pH 6.5–7 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: apistogramma the bottom, tinfoil barbs the mid.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Apistogramma	Tinfoil barb
Temperature	75–84 °F	72–80 °F
pH	5–7	6.5–7.5
Adult size	3.0 in	12.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 5+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for apistogramma

All apistogramma tank mates

Better tank mates for tinfoil barbs

All tinfoil barb tank mates

Questions

Can apistogramma live with tinfoil barbs?

Yes, with care. Apistogramma and tinfoil barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown tinfoil barb may treat small apistogramma as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both apistogramma and tinfoil barbs?

75–80 °F. Apistogramma need 75–84 °F, tinfoil barbs need 72–80 °F.

What size tank do apistogramma and tinfoil barbs need together?

At least 125 gal, set by the tinfoil barb. Add space for each extra fish.