Can bettas live with peacock cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Betta76–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: bettas want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
Watch outPeacock 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.
They use different parts of the tank: bettas the top, peacock cichlids the mid.

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

	Betta	Peacock cichlid
Temperature	76–82 °F	76–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	2.5 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Top	Middle
Group	One per tank	Groups of 4+
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for bettas

All betta tank mates

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can bettas live with peacock cichlids?

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

What temperature suits both bettas and peacock cichlids?

76–82 °F. Bettas need 76–82 °F, peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F.

What size tank do bettas and peacock cichlids need together?

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