Can red tail sharks live with jack dempseys?

Verdict
No

No. Red tail sharks and jack dempseys should not share a tank. Jack dempseys are aggressive and much bigger than red tail sharks.

Red tail sharkRed tail shark72–79°F · pH 6.5–7.5 Jack DempseyJack Dempsey72–86°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°Jack Dempsey 72–86°
The green band is the temperature range both can live in.
456789Both: 6.5–7.5Red tail shark 6.5–7.5Jack Dempsey 6.5–7.5
The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Red tail shark · 5 inJack Dempsey · 10 in0"2"4"6"8"10"
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 sharkJack Dempsey
Temperature72–79 °F72–86 °F
pH6.5–7.56.5–7.5
Adult size5.0 in10.0 in
Minimum tank55 gal55 gal
TemperamentSemi-aggressiveAggressive
Swims atBottomMiddle
GroupOne per tankAlone or in pairs
DietOmnivoreCarnivore

Better tank mates for red tail sharks

All red tail shark tank mates

Better tank mates for jack dempseys

All jack dempsey tank mates

Questions

Can red tail sharks live with jack dempseys?

No. Red tail sharks and jack dempseys should not share a tank. Jack dempseys are aggressive and much bigger than red tail sharks.

What temperature suits both red tail sharks and jack dempseys?

72–79 °F. Red tail sharks need 72–79 °F, jack dempseys need 72–86 °F.

What size tank do red tail sharks and jack dempseys need together?

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