Can peacock cichlids live with pencilfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Peacock cichlids and pencilfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, pencilfish want pH 5–7.5.

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Pencilfish75–82°F · pH 5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, pencilfish want pH 5–7.5.

What works

Both are fine at 76–82°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

	Peacock cichlid	Pencilfish
Temperature	76–82 °F	75–82 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	5–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	2.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	15 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Groups of 4+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for pencilfish

All pencilfish tank mates

Questions

Can peacock cichlids live with pencilfish?

Yes, with care. Peacock cichlids and pencilfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, pencilfish want pH 5–7.5.

What temperature suits both peacock cichlids and pencilfish?

76–82 °F. Peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F, pencilfish need 75–82 °F.

What size tank do peacock cichlids and pencilfish need together?

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