Can cherry barbs live with peacock cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Cherry barbs and peacock cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: cherry barbs want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

Cherry barb73–81°F · pH 6–7.5

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: cherry barbs want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

What works

Both are fine at 76–81°F.

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

	Cherry barb	Peacock cichlid
Temperature	73–81 °F	76–82 °F
pH	6–7.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	2.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 4+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for cherry barbs

All cherry barb tank mates

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can cherry barbs live with peacock cichlids?

Yes, with care. Cherry barbs and peacock cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: cherry barbs want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

What temperature suits both cherry barbs and peacock cichlids?

76–81 °F. Cherry barbs need 73–81 °F, peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F.

What size tank do cherry barbs and peacock cichlids need together?

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