Red tail shark tank mates

Good matches

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The safest picks for red tail sharks are guppies, angelfish and tiger barbs. Each match shares red tail sharks' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Pushier than the rainbow shark toward bottom fish and look-alikes. One per tank.

Temperature: 72–79°F
pH: 6.5–7.5
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Minimum tank: 55 gal
With care: 38
Avoid: 16

How each group of fish does with red tail sharks. Click through below for the reason behind every verdict.

Good tank mates

Possible, with care

Betta Red tail sharks are much bigger and pushier than bettas, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.
Pea puffer At 5 inches a red tail shark can swallow a small pea puffer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Honey gourami Red tail sharks are much bigger and pushier than honey gouramis, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.
Corydoras Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Celestial pearl danio At 5 inches a red tail shark can swallow a small celestial pearl danio. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Pictus catfish Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Bristlenose pleco Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Koi A grown koi may treat small red tail sharks as food, especially at night.
Pygmy cory At 5 inches a red tail shark can swallow a small pygmy cory. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Bolivian ram Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive. Red tail sharks hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
Upside down catfish Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Kuhli loach Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Otocinclus Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Molly Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.
Common pleco Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
Ember tetra At 5 inches a red tail shark can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Bamboo shrimp Red tail sharks will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give bamboo shrimp somewhere to hide.
Endler's livebearer At 5 inches a red tail shark can swallow a small endler's livebearer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
African dwarf frog African dwarf frogs eat slowly and nearly blind. Fast red tail sharks will take the food first, so target-feed them.
Yoyo loach Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Clown pleco Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Zebra loach Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Elephant nose fish Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
African cichlid Different water: red tail sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
Dojo loach Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Siamese algae eater Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Firemouth cichlid Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
Panda cory Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Kribensis Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
Hillstream loach Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Chinese algae eater Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
Chili rasbora At 5 inches a red tail shark can swallow a small chili rasbora. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Electric yellow cichlid Different water: red tail sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
Peacock cichlid Different water: red tail sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
Clown loach Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
Apistogramma Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
Zebra pleco They only share 79°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

Avoid

Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); red tail sharks need 72–79°F. No temperature suits both.
Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); red tail sharks need 72–79°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
Oscar An adult oscar eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 5 inches red tail sharks do.
Jack Dempsey Jack dempseys are aggressive and much bigger than red tail sharks.
Rainbow shark Two shark minnows in one tank fight over the bottom until one gives up.
Cherry shrimp A red tail shark is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.
Amano shrimp A red tail shark is big enough to swallow adult amano shrimp.
Bichir An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 5 inches red tail sharks do.
Ghost shrimp A red tail shark is big enough to swallow adult ghost shrimp.
Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 5 inches red tail sharks do.
Discus No shared temperature. Discus need 82–88°F, red tail sharks need 72–79°F.
Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); red tail sharks need 72–79°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 5 inches red tail sharks do.
White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); red tail sharks need 72–79°F. They meet only at 72°F, the edge of both ranges.
Flowerhorn No shared temperature. Red tail sharks need 72–79°F, flowerhorns need 80–89°F.
German blue ram No shared temperature. Rams need 80–86°F, red tail sharks need 72–79°F.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the red tail shark care sheet.

Questions

What are the best tank mates for red tail sharks?

Guppies, Angelfish, Tiger barbs, Blue gouramis, Neon tetras. They share red tail sharks' temperature and pH and leave them alone.

What fish should not live with red tail sharks?

Axolotls, Goldfish, Oscars, Jack dempseys, Rainbow sharks. Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); red tail sharks need 72–79°F. No temperature suits both.

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.