Can yellow labs live with hatchetfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Yellow labs and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, hatchetfish want pH 5.5–7.5.

Electric yellow cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Hatchetfish75–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, hatchetfish want pH 5.5–7.5.

What works

Both are fine at 75–81°F.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

No pH suits both. One would live in the wrong water all the time.

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

	Electric yellow cichlid	Hatchetfish
Temperature	75–82 °F	75–81 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	5.5–7.5
Adult size	4.0 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	40 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Top
Group	Groups of 4+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for yellow labs

All electric yellow cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for hatchetfish

All hatchetfish tank mates

Questions

Can yellow labs live with hatchetfish?

Yes, with care. Yellow labs and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, hatchetfish want pH 5.5–7.5.

What temperature suits both yellow labs and hatchetfish?

75–81 °F. Yellow labs need 75–82 °F, hatchetfish need 75–81 °F.

What size tank do yellow labs and hatchetfish need together?

At least 40 gal, set by the electric yellow cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.