Can bichirs live with peacock cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Bichir72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: bichirs want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

What works

Both are fine at 76–82°F.
They use different parts of the tank: bichirs the bottom, 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

	Bichir	Peacock cichlid
Temperature	72–82 °F	76–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	12.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	75 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for bichirs

All bichir tank mates

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can bichirs live with peacock cichlids?

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

What temperature suits both bichirs and peacock cichlids?

76–82 °F. Bichirs need 72–82 °F, peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F.

What size tank do bichirs and peacock cichlids need together?

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