Common pleco tank mates

Good matches

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The safest picks for plecos are oscars, bala sharks and kissing gouramis. Each match shares plecos' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Sold tiny, grows past a foot. May rasp the slime coat of slow flat fish at night.

Temperature

72–86°F

pH

6.5–7.5

Temperament

Peaceful

Minimum tank

125 gal

With care

76

Avoid

9

Good tank mates

• Oscar74–81°F
• Bala shark72–82°F
• Kissing gourami72–82°F
• Bichir72–82°F
• Severum74–84°F
• Tinfoil barb72–80°F
• Black ghost knife73–82°F
• Yoyo loach75–86°F
• Koi72–77°F
• Clown loach77–86°F
• Silver dollar75–82°F
• Pictus catfish72–79°F
• Dojo loach72–77°F

Possible, with care

• Betta Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like bettas and rasp their slime coat.
• Pea puffer Pea puffers are aggressive, though plecos are big enough to shrug most of it off.
• Guppy Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for guppies.
• GloFish tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for glofish.
• Mystery snail Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for mystery snails.
• Corydoras Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for corydoras.
• Molly Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.
• African cichlid Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, plecos want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Otocinclus Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for otocinclus.
• Honey gourami Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like honey gouramis and rasp their slime coat.
• Tiger barb Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for tiger barbs.
• Sparkling gourami Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for sparkling gouramis.
• Blue gourami Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for blue gouramis.
• Kuhli loach Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for kuhli loaches.
• Electric blue acara Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for electric blue acaras.
• Congo tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for congo tetras.
• Dwarf gourami Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like dwarf gouramis and rasp their slime coat.
• Lemon tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for lemon tetras.
• Cherry barb Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for cherry barbs.
• Ember tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for ember tetras.
• Neon tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for neon tetras.
• Black skirt tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for black skirt tetras.
• Harlequin rasbora Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for harlequin rasboras.
• Firemouth cichlid Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Celestial pearl danio Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for celestial pearl danios.
• Cherry shrimp Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for cherry shrimp.
• Rummy nose tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for rummy nose tetras.
• Paradise fish Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for paradise fish.
• Black neon tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for black neon tetras.
• Elephant nose fish Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like elephant nose fish and rasp their slime coat.
• Endler's livebearer Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for endlers.
• Rainbow shark Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Bristlenose pleco Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for bristlenose plecos.
• Serpae tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for serpae tetras.
• Odessa barb Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for odessa barbs.
• Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive, though plecos are big enough to shrug most of it off.
• Platy Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for platies.
• Bamboo shrimp Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for bamboo shrimp.
• Ghost shrimp Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for ghost shrimp.
• Pencilfish Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for pencilfish.
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for dwarf neon rainbowfish.
• African dwarf frog African dwarf frogs eat slowly and nearly blind. Fast plecos will take the food first, so target-feed them.
• Amano shrimp Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for amano shrimp.
• Pearl gourami Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like pearl gouramis and rasp their slime coat.
• Blood parrot Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like blood parrots and rasp their slime coat.
• Cardinal tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for cardinal tetras.
• Pygmy cory Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for pygmy corys.
• Red tail shark Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Zebra danio Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for zebra danios.
• Clown pleco Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for clown plecos.
• Glass catfish Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for glass catfish.
• Glowlight tetra Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for glowlight tetras.
• Hatchetfish Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for hatchetfish.
• Swordtail Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for swordtails.
• Chili rasbora Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for chili rasboras.
• Rosy barb Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for rosy barbs.
• Boesemani rainbowfish Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for boesemani rainbowfish.
• Bolivian ram Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for bolivian rams.
• Chinese algae eater Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Apistogramma Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Upside down catfish Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for upside down catfish.
• Zebra pleco Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Crayfish Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for crayfish.
• Killifish Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for killifish.
• Electric yellow cichlid Different water: plecos want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Peacock cichlid Different water: plecos want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Gold barb Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for gold barbs.
• Zebra loach Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for zebra loaches.
• Kribensis Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Ramshorn snail Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for ramshorn snails.
• German blue ram Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Panda cory Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for panda corys.
• Hillstream loach Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for hillstream loaches.
• Siamese algae eater Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for siamese algae eaters.
• Nerite snail Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for nerite snails.
• Assassin snail Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for assassin snails.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); plecos need 72–86°F. No temperature suits both.
• Angelfish Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like angelfish and rasp their slime coat.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); plecos need 72–86°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Jack Dempsey Jack dempseys are aggressive and will bully peaceful plecos.
• Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 15 inches plecos do.
• Flowerhorn Flowerhorns are aggressive and will bully peaceful plecos.
• Discus Plecos sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like discus and rasp their slime coat.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); plecos need 72–86°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); plecos need 72–86°F. They meet only at 72°F, the edge of both ranges.

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