Can red tail sharks live with bichirs?

Verdict
No

No. Red tail sharks and bichirs should not share a tank. An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 5 inches red tail sharks do.

Red tail sharkRed tail shark72–79°F · pH 6.5–7.5 BichirBichir72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

What works

Water side by side

55°60°65°70°75°80°85°90°Both: 72–79°Red tail shark 72–79°Bichir 72–82°
The green band is the temperature range both can live in.
456789Both: 6.5–7.5Red tail shark 6.5–7.5Bichir 6.5–7.5
The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Red tail shark · 5 inBichir · 12 in0"2"4"6"8"10"12"
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

Red tail sharkBichir
Temperature72–79 °F72–82 °F
pH6.5–7.56.5–7.5
Adult size5.0 in12.0 in
Minimum tank55 gal75 gal
TemperamentSemi-aggressiveSemi-aggressive
Swims atBottomBottom
GroupOne per tankAlone or in pairs
DietOmnivoreCarnivore

Better tank mates for red tail sharks

All red tail shark tank mates

Better tank mates for bichirs

All bichir tank mates

Questions

Can red tail sharks live with bichirs?

No. Red tail sharks and bichirs should not share a tank. An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 5 inches red tail sharks do.

What temperature suits both red tail sharks and bichirs?

72–79 °F. Red tail sharks need 72–79 °F, bichirs need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do red tail sharks and bichirs need together?

At least 75 gal, set by the bichir. Add space for each extra fish.