Can mollies live with clown plecos?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Mollies and clown plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.

Molly72–82°F · pH 7.5–8.5

Clown pleco73–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outWater chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.

What works

Both are fine at 73–82°F.
They use different parts of the tank: mollies the top, clown plecos the bottom.

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

	Molly	Clown pleco
Temperature	72–82 °F	73–82 °F
pH	7.5–8.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	4.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Top	Bottom
Group	Groups of 3+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for mollies

All molly tank mates

Better tank mates for clown plecos

All clown pleco tank mates

Questions

Can mollies live with clown plecos?

Yes, with care. Mollies and clown plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.

What temperature suits both mollies and clown plecos?

73–82 °F. Mollies need 72–82 °F, clown plecos need 73–82 °F.

What size tank do mollies and clown plecos need together?

At least 20 gal, set by the molly. Add space for each extra fish.