Can elephant nose fish live with rosy barbs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Elephant nose fish and rosy barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. Rosy barbs nip at slow fish. Elephant nose fish cannot get away.

Elephant nose fish73–82°F · pH 6–7.5

Rosy barb64–77°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outRosy barbs nip at slow fish. Elephant nose fish cannot get away.

What works

Both are fine at 73–77°F.
pH 6–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: elephant nose fish the bottom, rosy 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

	Elephant nose fish	Rosy barb
Temperature	73–82 °F	64–77 °F
pH	6–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	9.0 in	4.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for elephant nose fish

All elephant nose fish tank mates

Better tank mates for rosy barbs

All rosy barb tank mates

Questions

Can elephant nose fish live with rosy barbs?

Yes, with care. Elephant nose fish and rosy barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. Rosy barbs nip at slow fish. Elephant nose fish cannot get away.

What temperature suits both elephant nose fish and rosy barbs?

73–77 °F. Elephant nose fish need 73–82 °F, rosy barbs need 64–77 °F.

What size tank do elephant nose fish and rosy barbs need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the elephant nose fish. Add space for each extra fish.