Can otocinclus live with tinfoil barbs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Otocinclus72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

Tinfoil barb72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 72–79°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: otocinclus the bottom, 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

	Otocinclus	Tinfoil barb
Temperature	72–79 °F	72–80 °F
pH	6–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	2.0 in	12.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 5+
Diet	Herbivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for otocinclus

All otocinclus tank mates

Better tank mates for tinfoil barbs

All tinfoil barb tank mates

Questions

Can otocinclus live with tinfoil barbs?

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

What temperature suits both otocinclus and tinfoil barbs?

72–79 °F. Otocinclus need 72–79 °F, tinfoil barbs need 72–80 °F.

What size tank do otocinclus and tinfoil barbs need together?

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