Can clown loaches live with peacock cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Clown loach77–86°F · pH 6–7.5

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: clown loaches want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

What works

Both are fine at 77–82°F.
They use different parts of the tank: clown loaches 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

	Clown loach	Peacock cichlid
Temperature	77–86 °F	76–82 °F
pH	6–7.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	8.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	75 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Groups of 5+	Groups of 4+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for clown loaches

All clown loach tank mates

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can clown loaches live with peacock cichlids?

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

What temperature suits both clown loaches and peacock cichlids?

77–82 °F. Clown loaches need 77–86 °F, peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F.

What size tank do clown loaches and peacock cichlids need together?

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