Can pictus catfish live with peacock cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Pictus catfish72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

Peacock cichlid76–82°F · pH 7.8–8.6

What to watch

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

What works

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

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	Peacock cichlid
Temperature	72–79 °F	76–82 °F
pH	6–7.5	7.8–8.6
Adult size	5.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Groups of 3+	Groups of 4+
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for pictus catfish

All pictus catfish tank mates

Better tank mates for peacock cichlids

All peacock cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can pictus catfish live with peacock cichlids?

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

What temperature suits both pictus catfish and peacock cichlids?

76–79 °F. Pictus catfish need 72–79 °F, peacock cichlids need 76–82 °F.

What size tank do pictus catfish and peacock cichlids need together?

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