Can rams live with cherry barbs?

Verdict
Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Rams and cherry barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. They only share 80–81°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

German blue ramGerman blue ram80–86°F · pH 5–7 Cherry barbCherry barb73–81°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

What works

Water side by side

55°60°65°70°75°80°85°90°Both: 80–81°German blue ram 80–86°Cherry barb 73–81°
The green band is the temperature range both can live in.
456789Both: 6–7German blue ram 5–7Cherry barb 6–7.5
The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

German blue ram · 2.5 inCherry barb · 2 in0"1"2"3"4"5"6"
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

German blue ramCherry barb
Temperature80–86 °F73–81 °F
pH5–76–7.5
Adult size2.5 in2.0 in
Minimum tank20 gal20 gal
TemperamentPeacefulPeaceful
Swims atBottomMiddle
GroupAlone or in pairsGroups of 6+
DietOmnivoreOmnivore

Better tank mates for rams

All german blue ram tank mates

Better tank mates for cherry barbs

All cherry barb tank mates

Questions

Can rams live with cherry barbs?

Yes, with care. Rams and cherry barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. They only share 80–81°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

What temperature suits both rams and cherry barbs?

80–81 °F. Rams need 80–86 °F, cherry barbs need 73–81 °F.

What size tank do rams and cherry barbs need together?

At least 20 gal, set by the german blue ram. Add space for each extra fish.