Clown pleco tank mates

Good matches

74 of 98

The safest picks for clown plecos are bettas, guppies and angelfish. Each match shares clown plecos' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Small pleco that rasps wood. Needs driftwood in the tank.

Temperature

73–82°F

pH

6.5–7.5

Temperament

Peaceful

Minimum tank

20 gal

With care

12

Avoid

12

Good tank mates

• Betta76–82°F
• Guppy73–82°F
• Angelfish76–82°F
• Tiger barb73–81°F
• Honey gourami73–82°F
• Congo tetra73–82°F
• Sparkling gourami73–82°F
• Blue gourami73–82°F
• Dwarf gourami73–82°F
• Cherry barb73–81°F
• Lemon tetra73–82°F
• Electric blue acara73–82°F
• Kuhli loach75–82°F
• Kissing gourami73–82°F
• Black skirt tetra73–80°F
• Paradise fish73–79°F
• Harlequin rasbora73–80°F
• Black neon tetra73–81°F
• Neon tetra73–79°F
• GloFish tetra73–80°F
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish75–82°F
• Bristlenose pleco73–81°F
• Ember tetra73–82°F
• Corydoras73–79°F
• Odessa barb73–79°F
• Pencilfish75–82°F
• Cherry shrimp73–80°F
• Mystery snail73–82°F
• Glass catfish75–80°F
• Bamboo shrimp73–82°F
• Pearl gourami77–82°F
• Platy73–80°F
• Celestial pearl danio73–79°F
• Severum74–82°F
• Serpae tetra73–79°F
• Boesemani rainbowfish75–82°F
• Endler's livebearer73–82°F
• Amano shrimp73–80°F
• Rummy nose tetra75–82°F
• Elephant nose fish73–82°F
• Glowlight tetra74–80°F
• Ghost shrimp73–82°F
• Hatchetfish75–81°F
• Yoyo loach75–82°F
• Silver dollar75–82°F
• Zebra danio73–77°F
• Blood parrot76–80°F
• Rosy barb73–77°F
• Chili rasbora75–82°F
• Bolivian ram73–79°F
• Pygmy cory73–79°F
• Pictus catfish73–79°F
• Cardinal tetra76–82°F
• Firemouth cichlid75–82°F
• Swordtail73–79°F
• Upside down catfish73–79°F
• Otocinclus73–79°F
• Zebra loach73–79°F
• Kribensis75–80°F
• Apistogramma75–82°F
• Killifish73–77°F
• Crayfish73–77°F
• Gold barb73–75°F
• Clown loach77–82°F
• Chinese algae eater74–80°F
• Panda cory73–77°F
• Hillstream loach73–75°F
• Siamese algae eater75–79°F
• Zebra pleco79–82°F
• Ramshorn snail73–80°F
• Dojo loach73–77°F
• Nerite snail73–78°F
• Assassin snail75–80°F
• German blue ram80–82°F

Possible, with care

• Pea puffer Pea puffers are aggressive, though clown plecos are big enough to shrug most of it off.
• Bala shark Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for clown plecos.
• Molly Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.
• African dwarf frog African dwarf frogs eat slowly and nearly blind. Fast clown plecos will take the food first, so target-feed them.
• Tinfoil barb Tinfoil barbs grow to 12 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for clown plecos.
• Rainbow shark Rainbow sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
• Common pleco Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for clown plecos.
• Red tail shark Red tail sharks chase other bottom fish out of their patch.
• Koi At 24 inches a koi can swallow a small clown pleco. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Electric yellow cichlid Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, clown plecos want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Peacock cichlid Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, clown plecos want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Discus They only share 82°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); clown plecos need 73–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Oscar An adult oscar eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches clown plecos do.
• Jack Dempsey An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches clown plecos do.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); clown plecos need 73–82°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful clown plecos.
• Bichir An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches clown plecos do.
• Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches clown plecos do.
• African cichlid African cichlids are aggressive and will bully peaceful clown plecos.
• Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches clown plecos do.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); clown plecos need 73–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); clown plecos need 73–82°F. They overlap only at 73–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Flowerhorn An adult flowerhorn eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches clown plecos do.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the clown pleco care sheet.