Can yellow labs live with zebra plecos?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Yellow labs and zebra plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, zebra plecos want pH 6–7.5.

Electric yellow cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Zebra pleco79–88°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, zebra plecos want pH 6–7.5.

What works

Both are fine at 79–82°F.

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

	Electric yellow cichlid	Zebra pleco
Temperature	75–82 °F	79–88 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	6–7.5
Adult size	4.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	40 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Groups of 4+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for yellow labs

All electric yellow cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for zebra plecos

All zebra pleco tank mates

Questions

Can yellow labs live with zebra plecos?

Yes, with care. Yellow labs and zebra plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, zebra plecos want pH 6–7.5.

What temperature suits both yellow labs and zebra plecos?

79–82 °F. Yellow labs need 75–82 °F, zebra plecos need 79–88 °F.

What size tank do yellow labs and zebra plecos need together?

At least 40 gal, set by the electric yellow cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.