Can jack dempseys live with zebra loaches?

Verdict

No. Jack dempseys and zebra loaches should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches zebra loaches do.

Jack Dempsey72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Zebra loach73–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerAn adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches zebra loaches do.
Deal breakerJack dempseys are aggressive and will bully peaceful zebra loaches.

What works

Both are fine at 73–79°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: jack dempseys the mid, zebra loaches the bottom.

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	Zebra loach
Temperature	72–86 °F	73–79 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	10.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 5+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for jack dempseys

CrayfishYes

All jack dempsey tank mates

Better tank mates for zebra loaches

All zebra loach tank mates

Questions

Can jack dempseys live with zebra loaches?

No. Jack dempseys and zebra loaches should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches zebra loaches do.

What temperature suits both jack dempseys and zebra loaches?

73–79 °F. Jack dempseys need 72–86 °F, zebra loaches need 73–79 °F.

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

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