Can kuhli loaches live with jack dempseys?

Verdict

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

Kuhli loach75–86°F · pH 5.5–7

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 3.5 inches kuhli loaches do.
Deal breakerJack dempseys are aggressive and will bully peaceful kuhli loaches.

What works

Both are fine at 75–86°F.
pH 6.5–7 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: kuhli 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

	Kuhli loach	Jack Dempsey
Temperature	75–86 °F	72–86 °F
pH	5.5–7	6.5–7.5
Adult size	3.5 in	10.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for kuhli loaches

All kuhli loach tank mates

Better tank mates for jack dempseys

CrayfishYes

All jack dempsey tank mates

Questions

Can kuhli loaches live with jack dempseys?

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

What temperature suits both kuhli loaches and jack dempseys?

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

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

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