Can paradise fish live with tinfoil barbs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Paradise fish and tinfoil barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. Tinfoil barbs grow to 12 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for paradise fish.

Paradise fish61–79°F · pH 6–8

Tinfoil barb72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outTinfoil barbs grow to 12 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for paradise fish.

What works

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

	Paradise fish	Tinfoil barb
Temperature	61–79 °F	72–80 °F
pH	6–8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	3.5 in	12.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Top	Middle
Group	One per tank	Groups of 5+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for paradise fish

All paradise fish tank mates

Better tank mates for tinfoil barbs

All tinfoil barb tank mates

Questions

Can paradise fish live with tinfoil barbs?

Yes, with care. Paradise fish and tinfoil barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. Tinfoil barbs grow to 12 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for paradise fish.

What temperature suits both paradise fish and tinfoil barbs?

72–79 °F. Paradise fish need 61–79 °F, tinfoil barbs need 72–80 °F.

What size tank do paradise fish and tinfoil barbs need together?

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