Can otocinclus live with yellow labs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Otocinclus and yellow labs can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: otocinclus want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.

Otocinclus72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

Electric yellow cichlid75–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: otocinclus want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.

What works

Both are fine at 75–79°F.

Water side by side

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

No pH suits both. One would live in the wrong water all the time.

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

	Otocinclus	Electric yellow cichlid
Temperature	72–79 °F	75–82 °F
pH	6–7.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	2.0 in	4.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	40 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	All levels
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 4+
Diet	Herbivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for otocinclus

All otocinclus tank mates

Better tank mates for yellow labs

All electric yellow cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can otocinclus live with yellow labs?

Yes, with care. Otocinclus and yellow labs can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: otocinclus want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.

What temperature suits both otocinclus and yellow labs?

75–79 °F. Otocinclus need 72–79 °F, yellow labs need 75–82 °F.

What size tank do otocinclus and yellow labs need together?

At least 40 gal, set by the electric yellow cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.