Can axolotls live with peacock cichlids?

Verdict

No. Axolotls and peacock cichlids should not share a tank. Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.

Axolotl60–66°F · pH 6.5–8

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Deal breakerAxolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.
Deal breakerFish nibble at axolotl gills, and axolotls swallow small fish. Keep axolotls on their own.

What works

pH 7.8–8 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: axolotls the bottom, peacock cichlids the mid.

Water side by side

The ranges do not meet, so one of them would always be too warm or too cold.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

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

	Axolotl	Peacock cichlid
Temperature	60–66 °F	76–82 °F
pH	6.5–8	7.8–8.6
Adult size	10.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can axolotls live with peacock cichlids?

No. Axolotls and peacock cichlids should not share a tank. Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.

What temperature suits both axolotls and peacock cichlids?

None. Axolotls need 60–66 °F and peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F, so the ranges do not meet.

What size tank do axolotls and peacock cichlids need together?

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