TankmateChecker

Can african cichlids live with apistogramma?

Verdict

No

No. African cichlids and apistogramma should not share a tank. Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, apistogramma want pH 5–7.

African cichlid

African cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Apistogramma

Apistogramma75–84°F · pH 5–7

What to watch

Deal breakerDifferent water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, apistogramma want pH 5–7.
Deal breakerAfrican cichlids are aggressive and much bigger than apistogramma.

What works

Both are fine at 75–82°F.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

No pH suits both. One would live in the wrong water all the time.

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

	African cichlid	Apistogramma
Temperature	75–82 °F	75–84 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	5–7
Adult size	5.0 in	3.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Groups of 6+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for african cichlids

All african cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for apistogramma

All apistogramma tank mates

Questions

Can african cichlids live with apistogramma?

No. African cichlids and apistogramma should not share a tank. Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, apistogramma want pH 5–7.

What temperature suits both african cichlids and apistogramma?

75–82 °F. African cichlids need 75–82 °F, apistogramma need 75–84 °F.

What size tank do african cichlids and apistogramma need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the african cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.