Can koi live with pictus catfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Koi and pictus catfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown koi may treat small pictus catfish as food, especially at night.

Koi59–77°F · pH 7–8.5

Pictus catfish72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outA grown koi may treat small pictus catfish as food, especially at night.

What works

Both are fine at 72–77°F.
pH 7–7.5 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	Pictus catfish
Temperature	59–77 °F	72–79 °F
pH	7–8.5	6–7.5
Adult size	24.0 in	5.0 in
Minimum tank	Pond	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Groups of 3+	Groups of 3+
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for koi

All koi tank mates

Better tank mates for pictus catfish

All pictus catfish tank mates

Questions

Can koi live with pictus catfish?

Yes, with care. Koi and pictus catfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown koi may treat small pictus catfish as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both koi and pictus catfish?

72–77 °F. Koi need 59–77 °F, pictus catfish need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do koi and pictus catfish need together?

A pond. Koi outgrow indoor tanks.