Can peacock cichlids live with upside down catfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Peacock cichlids and upside down catfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, upside down catfish want pH 6–7.5.

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Upside down catfish72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, upside down catfish want pH 6–7.5.

What works

Both are fine at 76–79°F.
They use different parts of the tank: peacock cichlids the mid, upside down catfish the bottom.

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	Upside down catfish
Temperature	76–82 °F	72–79 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	6–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	4.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Groups of 4+	Groups of 3+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for upside down catfish

All upside down catfish tank mates

Questions

Can peacock cichlids live with upside down catfish?

Yes, with care. Peacock cichlids and upside down catfish can share a tank, but watch one thing. Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, upside down catfish want pH 6–7.5.

What temperature suits both peacock cichlids and upside down catfish?

76–79 °F. Peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F, upside down catfish need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do peacock cichlids and upside down catfish need together?

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