Can bettas live with firemouth cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Bettas and firemouth cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. Firemouth cichlids are much bigger and pushier than bettas, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.

Betta76–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Firemouth cichlid75–86°F · pH 6.5–8

What to watch

Watch outFiremouth cichlids are much bigger and pushier than bettas, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.

What works

Both are fine at 76–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: bettas the top, firemouth cichlids the bottom.

Water side by side

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

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

	Betta	Firemouth cichlid
Temperature	76–82 °F	75–86 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6.5–8
Adult size	2.5 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Top	Bottom
Group	One per tank	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for bettas

All betta tank mates

Better tank mates for firemouth cichlids

All firemouth cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can bettas live with firemouth cichlids?

Yes, with care. Bettas and firemouth cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. Firemouth cichlids are much bigger and pushier than bettas, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.

What temperature suits both bettas and firemouth cichlids?

76–82 °F. Bettas need 76–82 °F, firemouth cichlids need 75–86 °F.

What size tank do bettas and firemouth cichlids need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the firemouth cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.