Can convict cichlids live with swordtails?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Convict cichlid74–82°F · pH 6.6–7.8

Swordtail72–79°F · pH 7–8.3

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 74–79°F.
pH 7–7.8 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: convict cichlids the bottom, swordtails 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

	Convict cichlid	Swordtail
Temperature	74–82 °F	72–79 °F
pH	6.6–7.8	7–8.3
Adult size	5.0 in	5.0 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 3+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for convict cichlids

All convict cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for swordtails

All swordtail tank mates

Questions

Can convict cichlids live with swordtails?

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

What temperature suits both convict cichlids and swordtails?

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

What size tank do convict cichlids and swordtails need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the convict cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.