Can ember tetras live with tinfoil barbs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Ember tetras and tinfoil barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 12 inches a tinfoil barb can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

Ember tetra73–84°F · pH 5.5–7

Tinfoil barb72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 12 inches a tinfoil barb can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Watch outTinfoil barbs grow to 12 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for ember tetras.

What works

Both are fine at 73–80°F.
pH 6.5–7 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

	Ember tetra	Tinfoil barb
Temperature	73–84 °F	72–80 °F
pH	5.5–7	6.5–7.5
Adult size	0.8 in	12.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 5+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for ember tetras

All ember tetra tank mates

Better tank mates for tinfoil barbs

All tinfoil barb tank mates

Questions

Can ember tetras live with tinfoil barbs?

Yes, with care. Ember tetras and tinfoil barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 12 inches a tinfoil barb can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What temperature suits both ember tetras and tinfoil barbs?

73–80 °F. Ember tetras need 73–84 °F, tinfoil barbs need 72–80 °F.

What size tank do ember tetras and tinfoil barbs need together?

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