Can white cloud minnows live with firemouth cichlids?

Verdict

No. White cloud minnows and firemouth cichlids should not share a tank. White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); firemouth cichlids need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.

White cloud minnow60–72°F · pH 6–8

Firemouth cichlid75–86°F · pH 6.5–8

What to watch

Deal breakerWhite cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); firemouth cichlids need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.
Watch outA grown firemouth cichlid may treat small white cloud minnows as food, especially at night.

What works

pH 6.5–8 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: white cloud minnows the mid, firemouth cichlids the bottom.

Water side by side

The ranges do not meet, so one of them would always be too warm or too cold.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

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

	White cloud minnow	Firemouth cichlid
Temperature	60–72 °F	75–86 °F
pH	6–8	6.5–8
Adult size	1.5 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	10 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Groups of 6+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for white cloud minnows

All white cloud minnow tank mates

Better tank mates for firemouth cichlids

All firemouth cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can white cloud minnows live with firemouth cichlids?

No. White cloud minnows and firemouth cichlids should not share a tank. White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); firemouth cichlids need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.

What temperature suits both white cloud minnows and firemouth cichlids?

None. White cloud minnows need 60–72 °F and firemouth cichlids need 75–86 °F, so the ranges do not meet.

What size tank do white cloud minnows and firemouth cichlids need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the firemouth cichlid. Add space for each extra fish.