Can plecos live with glass catfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Plecos and glass catfish 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 glass catfish.

Common pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Glass catfish75–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 75–80°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: plecos the bottom, glass catfish 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	Glass catfish
Temperature	72–86 °F	75–80 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	15.0 in	3.0 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Better tank mates for glass catfish

All glass catfish tank mates

Questions

Can plecos live with glass catfish?

Yes, with care. Plecos and glass catfish 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 glass catfish.

What temperature suits both plecos and glass catfish?

75–80 °F. Plecos need 72–86 °F, glass catfish need 75–80 °F.

What size tank do plecos and glass catfish need together?

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