Can african cichlids live with plecos?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. African cichlids and plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, plecos want pH 6.5–7.5.

African cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Common pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, plecos want pH 6.5–7.5.
Watch outAfrican cichlids are aggressive, though plecos are big enough to shrug most of it off.

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	Common pleco
Temperature	75–82 °F	72–86 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	6.5–7.5
Adult size	5.0 in	15.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Groups of 6+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Herbivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for african cichlids

All african cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Questions

Can african cichlids live with plecos?

Yes, with care. African cichlids and plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, plecos want pH 6.5–7.5.

What temperature suits both african cichlids and plecos?

75–82 °F. African cichlids need 75–82 °F, plecos need 72–86 °F.

What size tank do african cichlids and plecos need together?

At least 125 gal, set by the common pleco. Add space for each extra fish.