Can ghost shrimp live with hatchetfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Ghost shrimp and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Hatchetfish will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give ghost shrimp somewhere to hide.

Ghost shrimp65–82°F · pH 7–8

Hatchetfish75–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outHatchetfish will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give ghost shrimp somewhere to hide.

What works

Both are fine at 75–81°F.
pH 7–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: ghost shrimp 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

	Ghost shrimp	Hatchetfish
Temperature	65–82 °F	75–81 °F
pH	7–8	5.5–7.5
Adult size	1.5 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Top
Group	Groups of 3+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for ghost shrimp

All ghost shrimp tank mates

Better tank mates for hatchetfish

All hatchetfish tank mates

Questions

Can ghost shrimp live with hatchetfish?

Yes, with care. Ghost shrimp and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Hatchetfish will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give ghost shrimp somewhere to hide.

What temperature suits both ghost shrimp and hatchetfish?

75–81 °F. Ghost shrimp need 65–82 °F, hatchetfish need 75–81 °F.

What size tank do ghost shrimp and hatchetfish need together?

At least 20 gal, set by the hatchetfish. Add space for each extra fish.