Can hatchetfish live with tinfoil barbs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Hatchetfish75–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

Tinfoil barb72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 12 inches a tinfoil barb can swallow a small hatchetfish. 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 hatchetfish.

What works

Both are fine at 75–80°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: hatchetfish the top, tinfoil barbs the mid.

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

	Hatchetfish	Tinfoil barb
Temperature	75–81 °F	72–80 °F
pH	5.5–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	1.5 in	12.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Top	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 5+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for hatchetfish

All hatchetfish tank mates

Better tank mates for tinfoil barbs

All tinfoil barb tank mates

Questions

Can hatchetfish live with tinfoil barbs?

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

What temperature suits both hatchetfish and tinfoil barbs?

75–80 °F. Hatchetfish need 75–81 °F, tinfoil barbs need 72–80 °F.

What size tank do hatchetfish and tinfoil barbs need together?

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