TankmateChecker

Can discus live with african cichlids?

Verdict

No

No. Discus and african cichlids should not share a tank. Different water: discus want pH 5.5–7, african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

Discus

Discus82–88°F · pH 5.5–7

African cichlid

African cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Deal breakerDifferent water: discus want pH 5.5–7, african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
Deal breakerAfrican cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful discus.
Watch outThey only share 82°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

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

	Discus	African cichlid
Temperature	82–88 °F	75–82 °F
pH	5.5–7	7.8–8.6
Adult size	6.0 in	5.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Aggressive
Swims at	Middle	All levels
Group	Groups of 5+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Carnivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for discus

All discus tank mates

Better tank mates for african cichlids

All african cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can discus live with african cichlids?

No. Discus and african cichlids should not share a tank. Different water: discus want pH 5.5–7, african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.

What temperature suits both discus and african cichlids?

82–82 °F. Discus need 82–88 °F, african cichlids need 75–82 °F.

What size tank do discus and african cichlids need together?

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