TankmateChecker

Can african cichlids live with killifish?

Verdict

No

No. African cichlids and killifish should not share a tank. Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, killifish want pH 5.5–7.

African cichlid

African cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Killifish

Killifish70–77°F · pH 5.5–7

What to watch

Deal breakerDifferent water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, killifish want pH 5.5–7.
Deal breakerAfrican cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful killifish.

What works

Both are fine at 75–77°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	Killifish
Temperature	75–82 °F	70–77 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	5.5–7
Adult size	5.0 in	2.5 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	10 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Top
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 killifish

All killifish tank mates

Questions

Can african cichlids live with killifish?

No. African cichlids and killifish should not share a tank. Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, killifish want pH 5.5–7.

What temperature suits both african cichlids and killifish?

75–77 °F. African cichlids need 75–82 °F, killifish need 70–77 °F.

What size tank do african cichlids and killifish need together?

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