Red Tail Catfish tank mates
Phractocephalus hemioliopterus
4 rated pairings from the Red Tail Catfish care guide. Compatibility here means water, temperament, tank zone and adult size all line up — the note on each card says why. Red Tail Catfish needs at least 1000 gallons on its own; every companion adds to that.
Good matches
1 · Compatible with normal care — watch space and numbers.Use caution
3 · Works in the right setup; read the note before combining.Pacu
Colossoma macropomum
500 gal min · 42" adult · Semi-aggressive
Similar size and water requirements, but aggression increases with age; only viable with very large juveniles
Peacock Bass
Cichla ocellaris
200 gal min · 24" adult · Aggressive
Comparable predatory nature and size, but both are highly aggressive and territorial
Black Ghost Knifefish
Apteronotus albifrons
100 gal min · 20" adult · Semi-aggressive
Similar habitat preference and size potential, but both are aggressive and may conflict over territory
Also recommended alongside Red Tail Catfish
Species whose own guides list Red Tail Catfish as a tank mate.
Arowana
Osteoglossum bicirrhosum
250 gal min · 36" adult · Semi-aggressive
Clown Featherback
Chitala ornata
200 gal min · 39" adult · Aggressive
Dovii Cichlid
Parachromis dovii
180 gal min · 28" adult · Aggressive
Florida Gar
Lepisosteus platyrhincus
200 gal min · 24" adult · Aggressive
Jaguar Cichlid
Parachromis managuensis
75 gal min · 16" adult · Aggressive
Wolf Fish
Hoplias malabaricus
150 gal min · 35" adult · Aggressive
Planning this tank?
Run the whole stock list through the calculator — it checks bioload and schooling numbers, not just pairings.