Can red tail sharks live with clown loaches?

Verdict
Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Red tail sharks and clown loaches can share a tank, but watch one thing. Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.

Red tail sharkRed tail shark72–79°F · pH 6.5–7.5 Clown loachClown loach77–86°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

What works

Water side by side

55°60°65°70°75°80°85°90°Both: 77–79°Red tail shark 72–79°Clown loach 77–86°
The green band is the temperature range both can live in.
456789Both: 6.5–7.5Red tail shark 6.5–7.5Clown loach 6–7.5
The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Red tail shark · 5 inClown loach · 8 in0"1"2"3"4"5"6"7"8"
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 sharkClown loach
Temperature72–79 °F77–86 °F
pH6.5–7.56–7.5
Adult size5.0 in8.0 in
Minimum tank55 gal75 gal
TemperamentSemi-aggressivePeaceful
Swims atBottomBottom
GroupOne per tankGroups of 5+
DietOmnivoreOmnivore

Better tank mates for red tail sharks

All red tail shark tank mates

Better tank mates for clown loaches

All clown loach tank mates

Questions

Can red tail sharks live with clown loaches?

Yes, with care. Red tail sharks and clown loaches can share a tank, but watch one thing. Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.

What temperature suits both red tail sharks and clown loaches?

77–79 °F. Red tail sharks need 72–79 °F, clown loaches need 77–86 °F.

What size tank do red tail sharks and clown loaches need together?

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