Can firemouth cichlids live with hatchetfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Firemouth cichlids and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small hatchetfish as food, especially at night.

Firemouth cichlid75–86°F · pH 6.5–8

Hatchetfish75–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outA grown firemouth cichlid may treat small hatchetfish as food, especially at night.

What works

Both are fine at 75–81°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: firemouth cichlids 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

	Firemouth cichlid	Hatchetfish
Temperature	75–86 °F	75–81 °F
pH	6.5–8	5.5–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Top
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for firemouth cichlids

All firemouth cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for hatchetfish

All hatchetfish tank mates

Questions

Can firemouth cichlids live with hatchetfish?

Yes, with care. Firemouth cichlids and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small hatchetfish as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both firemouth cichlids and hatchetfish?

75–81 °F. Firemouth cichlids need 75–86 °F, hatchetfish need 75–81 °F.

What size tank do firemouth cichlids and hatchetfish need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the firemouth cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.