TankmateChecker

Can ghost shrimp live with bichirs?

Verdict

No

No. Ghost shrimp and bichirs should not share a tank. Bichirs hunt shrimp. Adult ghost shrimp will be eaten.

Ghost shrimp

Ghost shrimp65–82°F · pH 7–8

Bichir

Bichir72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerBichirs hunt shrimp. Adult ghost shrimp will be eaten.
Watch outBichirs grow to 12 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for ghost shrimp.

What works

Both are fine at 72–82°F.
pH 7–7.5 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

	Ghost shrimp	Bichir
Temperature	65–82 °F	72–82 °F
pH	7–8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	1.5 in	12.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	75 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Bottom
Group	Groups of 3+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for ghost shrimp

All ghost shrimp tank mates

Better tank mates for bichirs

All bichir tank mates

Questions

Can ghost shrimp live with bichirs?

No. Ghost shrimp and bichirs should not share a tank. Bichirs hunt shrimp. Adult ghost shrimp will be eaten.

What temperature suits both ghost shrimp and bichirs?

72–82 °F. Ghost shrimp need 65–82 °F, bichirs need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do ghost shrimp and bichirs need together?

At least 75 gal, set by the bichir. Add space for each extra fish.