Can cherry shrimp live with rainbow sharks?

Verdict
No

No. Cherry shrimp and rainbow sharks should not share a tank. A rainbow shark is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.

Cherry shrimpCherry shrimp65–80°F · pH 6.5–8 Rainbow sharkRainbow shark72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

What works

Water side by side

55°60°65°70°75°80°85°90°Both: 72–80°Cherry shrimp 65–80°Rainbow shark 72–80°
The green band is the temperature range both can live in.
456789Both: 6.5–7.5Cherry shrimp 6.5–8Rainbow shark 6.5–7.5
The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Cherry shrimp · 1.5 inRainbow shark · 6 in0"1"2"3"4"5"6"
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

Cherry shrimpRainbow shark
Temperature65–80 °F72–80 °F
pH6.5–86.5–7.5
Adult size1.5 in6.0 in
Minimum tank5 gal55 gal
TemperamentPeacefulSemi-aggressive
Swims atBottomBottom
GroupGroups of 6+One per tank
DietOmnivoreOmnivore

Better tank mates for cherry shrimp

All cherry shrimp tank mates

Better tank mates for rainbow sharks

All rainbow shark tank mates

Questions

Can cherry shrimp live with rainbow sharks?

No. Cherry shrimp and rainbow sharks should not share a tank. A rainbow shark is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.

What temperature suits both cherry shrimp and rainbow sharks?

72–80 °F. Cherry shrimp need 65–80 °F, rainbow sharks need 72–80 °F.

What size tank do cherry shrimp and rainbow sharks need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the rainbow shark. Add space for each extra fish.