Can bristlenose plecos live with peacock cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Bristlenose pleco73–81°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 76–81°F.
They use different parts of the tank: bristlenose plecos 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

	Bristlenose pleco	Peacock cichlid
Temperature	73–81 °F	76–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	5.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for bristlenose plecos

All bristlenose pleco tank mates

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can bristlenose plecos live with peacock cichlids?

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

What temperature suits both bristlenose plecos and peacock cichlids?

76–81 °F. Bristlenose plecos need 73–81 °F, peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F.

What size tank do bristlenose plecos and peacock cichlids need together?

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