Can flowerhorns live with plecos?

Verdict
No

No. Flowerhorns and plecos should not share a tank. Flowerhorns are aggressive and will bully peaceful plecos.

FlowerhornFlowerhorn80–89°F · pH 7–8 Common plecoCommon pleco72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

What works

Water side by side

55°60°65°70°75°80°85°90°Both: 80–86°Flowerhorn 80–89°Common pleco 72–86°
The green band is the temperature range both can live in.
456789Both: 7–7.5Flowerhorn 7–8Common pleco 6.5–7.5
The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Flowerhorn · 12 inCommon pleco · 15 in0"2"4"6"8"10"12"14"
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

FlowerhornCommon pleco
Temperature80–89 °F72–86 °F
pH7–86.5–7.5
Adult size12.0 in15.0 in
Minimum tank75 gal125 gal
TemperamentAggressivePeaceful
Swims atMiddleBottom
GroupOne per tankAlone or in pairs
DietCarnivoreHerbivore

Better tank mates for plecos

All common pleco tank mates

Questions

Can flowerhorns live with plecos?

No. Flowerhorns and plecos should not share a tank. Flowerhorns are aggressive and will bully peaceful plecos.

What temperature suits both flowerhorns and plecos?

80–86 °F. Flowerhorns need 80–89 °F, plecos need 72–86 °F.

What size tank do flowerhorns and plecos need together?

At least 125 gal, set by the common pleco. Add space for each extra fish.