Can clown loaches live with hatchetfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Clown loaches and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 8 inches a clown loach can swallow a small hatchetfish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

Clown loach77–86°F · pH 6–7.5

Hatchetfish75–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 8 inches a clown loach can swallow a small hatchetfish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What works

Both are fine at 77–81°F.
pH 6–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: clown loaches the bottom, hatchetfish the top.

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

	Clown loach	Hatchetfish
Temperature	77–86 °F	75–81 °F
pH	6–7.5	5.5–7.5
Adult size	8.0 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	75 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Top
Group	Groups of 5+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for clown loaches

All clown loach tank mates

Better tank mates for hatchetfish

All hatchetfish tank mates

Questions

Can clown loaches live with hatchetfish?

Yes, with care. Clown loaches and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 8 inches a clown loach can swallow a small hatchetfish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What temperature suits both clown loaches and hatchetfish?

77–81 °F. Clown loaches need 77–86 °F, hatchetfish need 75–81 °F.

What size tank do clown loaches and hatchetfish need together?

At least 75 gal, set by the clown loach. Add space for each extra fish.