TankmateChecker

Can african cichlids live with silver dollars?

Verdict

No

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

African cichlid

African cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Silver dollar

Silver dollar75–82°F · pH 5–7

What to watch

Deal breakerDifferent water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, silver dollars want pH 5–7.
Deal breakerAfrican cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful silver dollars.

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	Silver dollar
Temperature	75–82 °F	75–82 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	5–7
Adult size	5.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	75 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 5+
Diet	Herbivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for african cichlids

All african cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for silver dollars

All silver dollar tank mates

Questions

Can african cichlids live with silver dollars?

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

What temperature suits both african cichlids and silver dollars?

75–82 °F. African cichlids need 75–82 °F, silver dollars need 75–82 °F.

What size tank do african cichlids and silver dollars need together?

At least 75 gal, set by the silver dollar. Add space for each extra fish.