Can plecos live with peacock cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Plecos and peacock cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: plecos want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

Common pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: plecos want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

What works

Both are fine at 76–82°F.
They use different parts of the tank: plecos 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

	Common pleco	Peacock cichlid
Temperature	72–86 °F	76–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	15.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can plecos live with peacock cichlids?

Yes, with care. Plecos and peacock cichlids can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: plecos want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

What temperature suits both plecos and peacock cichlids?

76–82 °F. Plecos need 72–86 °F, peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F.

What size tank do plecos and peacock cichlids need together?

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