Can hillstream loaches live with jack dempseys?

Verdict

No. Hillstream loaches and jack dempseys should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches hillstream loaches do.

Hillstream loach68–75°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Jack Dempsey72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerAn adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches hillstream loaches do.
Deal breakerJack dempseys are aggressive and will bully peaceful hillstream loaches.

What works

Both are fine at 72–75°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: hillstream loaches the bottom, jack dempseys 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

	Hillstream loach	Jack Dempsey
Temperature	68–75 °F	72–86 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	2.5 in	10.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Groups of 3+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for hillstream loaches

All hillstream loach tank mates

Better tank mates for jack dempseys

CrayfishYes

All jack dempsey tank mates

Questions

Can hillstream loaches live with jack dempseys?

No. Hillstream loaches and jack dempseys should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches hillstream loaches do.

What temperature suits both hillstream loaches and jack dempseys?

72–75 °F. Hillstream loaches need 68–75 °F, jack dempseys need 72–86 °F.

What size tank do hillstream loaches and jack dempseys need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the jack dempsey. Add space for each extra fish.