Can jack dempseys live with boesemani rainbowfish?

Verdict

No. Jack dempseys and boesemani rainbowfish should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches boesemani rainbowfish do.

Jack Dempsey72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Boesemani rainbowfish75–82°F · pH 7–8

What to watch

Deal breakerAn adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches boesemani rainbowfish do.
Deal breakerJack dempseys are aggressive and will bully peaceful boesemani rainbowfish.

What works

Both are fine at 75–82°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

	Jack Dempsey	Boesemani rainbowfish
Temperature	72–86 °F	75–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	7–8
Adult size	10.0 in	4.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for jack dempseys

CrayfishYes

All jack dempsey tank mates

Better tank mates for boesemani rainbowfish

All boesemani rainbowfish tank mates

Questions

Can jack dempseys live with boesemani rainbowfish?

No. Jack dempseys and boesemani rainbowfish should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches boesemani rainbowfish do.

What temperature suits both jack dempseys and boesemani rainbowfish?

75–82 °F. Jack dempseys need 72–86 °F, boesemani rainbowfish need 75–82 °F.

What size tank do jack dempseys and boesemani rainbowfish need together?

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