Can plecos live with boesemani rainbowfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Plecos and boesemani rainbowfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for boesemani rainbowfish.

Common pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Boesemani rainbowfish75–82°F · pH 7–8

What to watch

Watch outPlecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for boesemani rainbowfish.

What works

Both are fine at 75–82°F.
pH 7–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: plecos the bottom, boesemani rainbowfish the mid.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

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

	Common pleco	Boesemani rainbowfish
Temperature	72–86 °F	75–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	7–8
Adult size	15.0 in	4.0 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Herbivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Better tank mates for boesemani rainbowfish

All boesemani rainbowfish tank mates

Questions

Can plecos live with boesemani rainbowfish?

Yes, with care. Plecos and boesemani rainbowfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for boesemani rainbowfish.

What temperature suits both plecos and boesemani rainbowfish?

75–82 °F. Plecos need 72–86 °F, boesemani rainbowfish need 75–82 °F.

What size tank do plecos and boesemani rainbowfish need together?

At least 125 gal, set by the common pleco. Add space for each extra fish.