Can bolivian rams live with tinfoil barbs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Bolivian ram72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

Tinfoil barb72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 72–79°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: bolivian rams 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

	Bolivian ram	Tinfoil barb
Temperature	72–79 °F	72–80 °F
pH	6–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	3.0 in	12.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 5+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for bolivian rams

All bolivian ram tank mates

Better tank mates for tinfoil barbs

All tinfoil barb tank mates

Questions

Can bolivian rams live with tinfoil barbs?

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

What temperature suits both bolivian rams and tinfoil barbs?

72–79 °F. Bolivian rams need 72–79 °F, tinfoil barbs need 72–80 °F.

What size tank do bolivian rams and tinfoil barbs need together?

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