Can koi live with african cichlids?

Verdict

No. Koi and african cichlids should not share a tank. Koi are coldwater animals (59–77°F); african cichlids need 75–82°F. They overlap only at 75–77°F, the edge of both ranges.

Koi59–77°F · pH 7–8.5

African cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Deal breakerKoi are coldwater animals (59–77°F); african cichlids need 75–82°F. They overlap only at 75–77°F, the edge of both ranges.
Watch outA grown koi may treat small african cichlids as food, especially at night.
Watch outAfrican cichlids are aggressive, though koi are big enough to shrug most of it off.

What works

pH 7.8–8.5 suits both.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

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

	Koi	African cichlid
Temperature	59–77 °F	75–82 °F
pH	7–8.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	24.0 in	5.0 in
Minimum tank	Pond	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Aggressive
Swims at	All levels	All levels
Group	Groups of 3+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for koi

All koi tank mates

Better tank mates for african cichlids

All african cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can koi live with african cichlids?

No. Koi and african cichlids should not share a tank. Koi are coldwater animals (59–77°F); african cichlids need 75–82°F. They overlap only at 75–77°F, the edge of both ranges.

What temperature suits both koi and african cichlids?

75–77 °F. Koi need 59–77 °F, african cichlids need 75–82 °F.

What size tank do koi and african cichlids need together?

A pond. Koi outgrow indoor tanks.