Can convict cichlids live with pictus catfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Convict cichlids and pictus catfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Convict cichlids are aggressive. Pictus catfish hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

Convict cichlid74–82°F · pH 6.6–7.8

Pictus catfish72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outConvict cichlids are aggressive. Pictus catfish hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What works

Both are fine at 74–79°F.
pH 6.6–7.5 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

	Convict cichlid	Pictus catfish
Temperature	74–82 °F	72–79 °F
pH	6.6–7.8	6–7.5
Adult size	5.0 in	5.0 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 3+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for convict cichlids

All convict cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for pictus catfish

All pictus catfish tank mates

Questions

Can convict cichlids live with pictus catfish?

Yes, with care. Convict cichlids and pictus catfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Convict cichlids are aggressive. Pictus catfish hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What temperature suits both convict cichlids and pictus catfish?

74–79 °F. Convict cichlids need 74–82 °F, pictus catfish need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do convict cichlids and pictus catfish need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the pictus catfish. Add space for each extra fish.