Can swordtails live with bamboo shrimp?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Swordtails and bamboo shrimp can share a tank, but watch one thing. Swordtails will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give bamboo shrimp somewhere to hide.

Swordtail72–79°F · pH 7–8.3

Bamboo shrimp72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outSwordtails will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give bamboo shrimp somewhere to hide.

What works

Both are fine at 72–79°F.
pH 7–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: swordtails the mid, bamboo shrimp the bottom.

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

	Swordtail	Bamboo shrimp
Temperature	72–79 °F	72–82 °F
pH	7–8.3	6.5–7.5
Adult size	5.0 in	3.0 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Groups of 3+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for swordtails

All swordtail tank mates

Better tank mates for bamboo shrimp

All bamboo shrimp tank mates

Questions

Can swordtails live with bamboo shrimp?

Yes, with care. Swordtails and bamboo shrimp can share a tank, but watch one thing. Swordtails will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give bamboo shrimp somewhere to hide.

What temperature suits both swordtails and bamboo shrimp?

72–79 °F. Swordtails need 72–79 °F, bamboo shrimp need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do swordtails and bamboo shrimp need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the swordtail. Add space for each extra fish.