TankmateChecker

Can convict cichlids live with zebra plecos?

Verdict

No

No. Convict cichlids and zebra plecos should not share a tank. Convict cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful zebra plecos.

Convict cichlid

Convict cichlid74–82°F · pH 6.6–7.8

Zebra pleco

Zebra pleco79–88°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerConvict cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful zebra plecos.
Watch outBoth claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.

What works

Both are fine at 79–82°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	Zebra pleco
Temperature	74–82 °F	79–88 °F
pH	6.6–7.8	6–7.5
Adult size	5.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for convict cichlids

All convict cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for zebra plecos

All zebra pleco tank mates

Questions

Can convict cichlids live with zebra plecos?

No. Convict cichlids and zebra plecos should not share a tank. Convict cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful zebra plecos.

What temperature suits both convict cichlids and zebra plecos?

79–82 °F. Convict cichlids need 74–82 °F, zebra plecos need 79–88 °F.

What size tank do convict cichlids and zebra plecos need together?

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