Can pictus catfish live with yellow labs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Pictus catfish72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

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

What to watch

Watch outDifferent water: pictus catfish 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

	Pictus catfish	Electric yellow cichlid
Temperature	72–79 °F	75–82 °F
pH	6–7.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	5.0 in	4.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	40 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	All levels
Group	Groups of 3+	Groups of 4+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for pictus catfish

All pictus catfish tank mates

Better tank mates for yellow labs

All electric yellow cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can pictus catfish live with yellow labs?

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

What temperature suits both pictus catfish and yellow labs?

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

What size tank do pictus catfish and yellow labs need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the pictus catfish. Add space for each extra fish.