Can red tail sharks live with otocinclus?

Verdict
Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Red tail sharks and otocinclus 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 OtocinclusOtocinclus72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

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°Otocinclus 72–79°
The green band is the temperature range both can live in.
456789Both: 6.5–7.5Red tail shark 6.5–7.5Otocinclus 6–7.5
The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Red tail shark · 5 inOtocinclus · 2 in0"1"2"3"4"5"6"
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 sharkOtocinclus
Temperature72–79 °F72–79 °F
pH6.5–7.56–7.5
Adult size5.0 in2.0 in
Minimum tank55 gal20 gal
TemperamentSemi-aggressivePeaceful
Swims atBottomBottom
GroupOne per tankGroups of 6+
DietOmnivoreHerbivore

Better tank mates for red tail sharks

All red tail shark tank mates

Better tank mates for otocinclus

All otocinclus tank mates

Questions

Can red tail sharks live with otocinclus?

Yes, with care. Red tail sharks and otocinclus 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 otocinclus?

72–79 °F. Red tail sharks need 72–79 °F, otocinclus need 72–79 °F.

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

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