Can rainbow sharks live with hatchetfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Rainbow sharks and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown rainbow shark may treat small hatchetfish as food, especially at night.

Rainbow shark72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Hatchetfish75–81°F · pH 5.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outA grown rainbow shark may treat small hatchetfish as food, especially at night.

What works

Both are fine at 75–80°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: rainbow sharks the bottom, hatchetfish the top.

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

	Rainbow shark	Hatchetfish
Temperature	72–80 °F	75–81 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	5.5–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Top
Group	One per tank	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for rainbow sharks

All rainbow shark tank mates

Better tank mates for hatchetfish

All hatchetfish tank mates

Questions

Can rainbow sharks live with hatchetfish?

Yes, with care. Rainbow sharks and hatchetfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown rainbow shark may treat small hatchetfish as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both rainbow sharks and hatchetfish?

75–80 °F. Rainbow sharks need 72–80 °F, hatchetfish need 75–81 °F.

What size tank do rainbow sharks and hatchetfish need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the rainbow shark. Add space for each extra fish.