Can peacock cichlids live with zebra loaches?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

Zebra loach73–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, zebra loaches 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, zebra loaches 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	Zebra loach
Temperature	76–82 °F	73–79 °F
pH	7.8–8.6	6–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Groups of 4+	Groups of 5+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for zebra loaches

All zebra loach tank mates

Questions

Can peacock cichlids live with zebra loaches?

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

What temperature suits both peacock cichlids and zebra loaches?

76–79 °F. Peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F, zebra loaches need 73–79 °F.

What size tank do peacock cichlids and zebra loaches need together?

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