Can goldfish live with african cichlids?

Verdict

No. Goldfish and african cichlids should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); african cichlids need 75–82°F. No temperature suits both.

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

African cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Deal breakerGoldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); african cichlids need 75–82°F. No temperature suits both.
Watch outAfrican cichlids are aggressive, though goldfish are big enough to shrug most of it off.

What works

pH 7.8–8 suits both.

Water side by side

The ranges do not meet, so one of them would always be too warm or too cold.

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

	Goldfish	African cichlid
Temperature	60–74 °F	75–82 °F
pH	7–8	7.8–8.6
Adult size	10.0 in	5.0 in
Minimum tank	40 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Aggressive
Swims at	All levels	All levels
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for african cichlids

All african cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can goldfish live with african cichlids?

No. Goldfish and african cichlids should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); african cichlids need 75–82°F. No temperature suits both.

What temperature suits both goldfish and african cichlids?

None. Goldfish need 60–74 °F and african cichlids need 75–82 °F, so the ranges do not meet.

What size tank do goldfish and african cichlids need together?

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