Hillstream loach tank mates

Good matches

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The safest picks for hillstream loaches are zebra danios, guppies and paradise fish. Each match shares hillstream loaches' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Needs strong flow, oxygen and cooler water than most tropicals.

Temperature: 68–75°F
pH: 6.5–7.5
Temperament: Peaceful
Minimum tank: 20 gal
With care: 30
Avoid: 19

How each group of fish does with hillstream loaches. Click through below for the reason behind every verdict.

Good tank mates

Possible, with care

Goldfish A grown goldfish may treat small hillstream loaches as food, especially at night.
Pea puffer They only share 74–75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Koi At 24 inches a koi can swallow a small hillstream loach. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Bala shark At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small hillstream loach. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Kissing gourami A grown kissing gourami may treat small hillstream loaches as food, especially at night.
Tinfoil barb A grown tinfoil barb may treat small hillstream loaches as food, especially at night.
Glass catfish They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Red tail shark Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Rainbow shark Rainbow sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Glowlight tetra They only share 74–75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Dwarf neon rainbowfish They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
African dwarf frog African dwarf frogs eat slowly and nearly blind. Fast hillstream loaches will take the food first, so target-feed them.
Kuhli loach They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Pencilfish They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Hatchetfish They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Molly Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.
Common pleco Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for hillstream loaches.
Rummy nose tetra They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Severum They only share 74–75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Boesemani rainbowfish They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Chili rasbora They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Yoyo loach They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Silver dollar They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Kribensis They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Chinese algae eater They only share 74–75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Siamese algae eater They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Firemouth cichlid They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Apistogramma They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Electric yellow cichlid They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
Assassin snail They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

Avoid

Betta No shared temperature. Bettas need 76–82°F, hillstream loaches need 68–75°F.
Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); hillstream loaches need 68–75°F. No temperature suits both.
Angelfish No shared temperature. Angelfish need 76–84°F, hillstream loaches need 68–75°F.
Oscar An adult oscar eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches hillstream loaches do.
Jack Dempsey An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches hillstream loaches do.
Discus No shared temperature. Discus need 82–88°F, hillstream loaches need 68–75°F.
Pearl gourami No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, pearl gouramis need 77–82°F.
Blood parrot No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, blood parrots need 76–80°F.
Bichir An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches hillstream loaches do.
Cardinal tetra No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, cardinal tetras need 76–84°F.
Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful hillstream loaches.
Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches hillstream loaches do.
German blue ram No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, rams need 80–86°F.
Flowerhorn No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, flowerhorns need 80–89°F.
Zebra pleco No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, zebra plecos need 79–88°F.
African cichlid African cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful hillstream loaches.
Clown loach No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, clown loaches need 77–86°F.
Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches hillstream loaches do.
Peacock cichlid No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, peacock cichlids need 76–82°F.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the hillstream loach care sheet.

Questions

What are the best tank mates for hillstream loaches?

Zebra danios, Guppies, Paradise fish, Gold barbs, Cherry shrimp. They share hillstream loaches' temperature and pH and leave them alone.

What fish should not live with hillstream loaches?

Bettas, Axolotls, Angelfish, Oscars, Jack dempseys. No shared temperature. Bettas need 76–82°F, hillstream loaches need 68–75°F.

How is compatibility checked?

Each pair is compared on temperature and pH overlap, adult size and mouth size, fin nipping, temperament and territory. The worst result decides the verdict.