Can axolotls live with elephant nose fish?

Verdict

No. Axolotls and elephant nose fish should not share a tank. Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); elephant nose fish need 73–82°F. No temperature suits both.

Axolotl60–66°F · pH 6.5–8

Elephant nose fish73–82°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerAxolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); elephant nose fish need 73–82°F. No temperature suits both.
Deal breakerFish nibble at axolotl gills, and axolotls swallow small fish. Keep axolotls on their own.

What works

pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.

Water side by side

The ranges do not meet, so one of them would always be too warm or too cold.

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

	Axolotl	Elephant nose fish
Temperature	60–66 °F	73–82 °F
pH	6.5–8	6–7.5
Adult size	10.0 in	9.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for elephant nose fish

All elephant nose fish tank mates

Questions

Can axolotls live with elephant nose fish?

No. Axolotls and elephant nose fish should not share a tank. Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); elephant nose fish need 73–82°F. No temperature suits both.

What temperature suits both axolotls and elephant nose fish?

None. Axolotls need 60–66 °F and elephant nose fish need 73–82 °F, so the ranges do not meet.

What size tank do axolotls and elephant nose fish need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the elephant nose fish. Add space for each extra fish.