Can goldfish live with peacock cichlids?

Verdict

No. Goldfish and peacock cichlids should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.

Goldfish60–74°F · pH 7–8

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Deal breakerGoldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.

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	Peacock cichlid
Temperature	60–74 °F	76–82 °F
pH	7–8	7.8–8.6
Adult size	10.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	40 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	All levels	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for goldfish

All goldfish tank mates

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can goldfish live with peacock cichlids?

No. Goldfish and peacock cichlids should not share a tank. Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.

What temperature suits both goldfish and peacock cichlids?

None. Goldfish need 60–74 °F and peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F, so the ranges do not meet.

What size tank do goldfish and peacock cichlids need together?

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