Can plecos live with elephant nose fish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Plecos and elephant nose fish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like elephant nose fish and rasp their slime coat.

Common pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Elephant nose fish73–82°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outPlecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like elephant nose fish and rasp their slime coat.

What works

Both are fine at 73–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.

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	Elephant nose fish
Temperature	72–86 °F	73–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	15.0 in	9.0 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Better tank mates for elephant nose fish

All elephant nose fish tank mates

Questions

Can plecos live with elephant nose fish?

Yes, with care. Plecos and elephant nose fish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like elephant nose fish and rasp their slime coat.

What temperature suits both plecos and elephant nose fish?

73–82 °F. Plecos need 72–86 °F, elephant nose fish need 73–82 °F.

What size tank do plecos and elephant nose fish need together?

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