Can dwarf neon rainbowfish live with tinfoil barbs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Dwarf neon rainbowfish75–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Tinfoil barb72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 75–80°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.

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

	Dwarf neon rainbowfish	Tinfoil barb
Temperature	75–82 °F	72–80 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	2.5 in	12.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 5+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for dwarf neon rainbowfish

All dwarf neon rainbowfish tank mates

Better tank mates for tinfoil barbs

All tinfoil barb tank mates

Questions

Can dwarf neon rainbowfish live with tinfoil barbs?

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

What temperature suits both dwarf neon rainbowfish and tinfoil barbs?

75–80 °F. Dwarf neon rainbowfish need 75–82 °F, tinfoil barbs need 72–80 °F.

What size tank do dwarf neon rainbowfish and tinfoil barbs need together?

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