Can convict cichlids live with red tail sharks?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Convict cichlids and red tail sharks can share a tank, but watch one thing. Convict cichlids are aggressive. Red tail sharks hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

Convict cichlid74–82°F · pH 6.6–7.8

Red tail shark72–79°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outConvict cichlids are aggressive. Red tail sharks hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
Watch outBoth claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
Watch outRed tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.

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	Red tail shark
Temperature	74–82 °F	72–79 °F
pH	6.6–7.8	6.5–7.5
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	One per tank
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for convict cichlids

All convict cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for red tail sharks

All red tail shark tank mates

Questions

Can convict cichlids live with red tail sharks?

Yes, with care. Convict cichlids and red tail sharks can share a tank, but watch one thing. Convict cichlids are aggressive. Red tail sharks hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What temperature suits both convict cichlids and red tail sharks?

74–79 °F. Convict cichlids need 74–82 °F, red tail sharks need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do convict cichlids and red tail sharks need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the red tail shark. Add space for each extra fish.