Electric yellow cichlid tank mates

Good matches

18 of 98

The safest picks for yellow labs are mollies, mystery snails and peacock cichlids. Each match shares yellow labs' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

The mildest mbuna. Still wants hard alkaline water.

Temperature

75–82°F

pH

7.8–8.6

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

Minimum tank

40 gal

With care

55

Avoid

25

Good tank mates

• Molly75–82°F
• Mystery snail75–82°F
• Peacock cichlid76–82°F
• Boesemani rainbowfish75–82°F
• Blue gourami75–82°F
• Firemouth cichlid75–82°F
• Platy75–80°F
• Kissing gourami75–82°F
• Swordtail75–79°F
• Endler's livebearer75–82°F
• Nerite snail75–78°F
• Paradise fish75–79°F
• Chinese algae eater75–80°F
• Assassin snail75–80°F
• Crayfish75–77°F
• Ramshorn snail75–80°F
• Zebra danio75–77°F
• Dojo loach75–77°F

Possible, with care

• Betta Different water: bettas want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Pea puffer Pea puffers are aggressive. Yellow labs hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• Angelfish Different water: angelfish want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Guppy Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.8.
• Convict cichlid Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.8.
• African cichlid African cichlids are aggressive. Yellow labs hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• Tiger barb Different water: tiger barbs want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Yoyo loach Different water: yoyo loaches want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Honey gourami Different water: honey gouramis want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Congo tetra Different water: congo tetras want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Bristlenose pleco Different water: bristlenose plecos want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Corydoras Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.8.
• Clown pleco Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, clown plecos want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Bala shark Different water: bala sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Sparkling gourami Different water: sparkling gouramis want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Dwarf gourami Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, dwarf gouramis want pH 6–7.5.
• Bamboo shrimp Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, bamboo shrimp want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Electric blue acara Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, electric blue acaras want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Rainbow shark Different water: rainbow sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Cherry barb Different water: cherry barbs want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, dwarf neon rainbowfish want pH 6.5–7.5.
• African dwarf frog Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.8.
• Pearl gourami Different water: pearl gouramis want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Common pleco Different water: plecos want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Kribensis Different water: kribensis want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Elephant nose fish Different water: elephant nose fish want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Lemon tetra Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, lemon tetras want pH 5.5–7.5.
• Pencilfish Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, pencilfish want pH 5–7.5.
• Amano shrimp Different water: amano shrimp want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Red tail shark Different water: red tail sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Glass catfish Different water: glass catfish want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Pictus catfish Different water: pictus catfish want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Clown loach Different water: clown loaches want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Bolivian ram Different water: bolivian rams want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Black skirt tetra Different water: black skirt tetras want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Upside down catfish Different water: upside down catfish want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Hatchetfish Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, hatchetfish want pH 5.5–7.5.
• Blood parrot Different water: blood parrots want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Harlequin rasbora Different water: harlequin rasboras want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Black neon tetra Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, black neon tetras want pH 5.5–7.5.
• GloFish tetra Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, glofish want pH 6–7.5.
• Siamese algae eater Different water: siamese algae eaters want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Otocinclus Different water: otocinclus want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Zebra loach Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, zebra loaches want pH 6–7.5.
• Odessa barb Different water: odessa barbs want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Glowlight tetra Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, glowlight tetras want pH 6–7.5.
• Celestial pearl danio Different water: celestial pearl danios want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Tinfoil barb Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, tinfoil barbs want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Serpae tetra Different water: serpae tetras want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Zebra pleco Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, zebra plecos want pH 6–7.5.
• Rosy barb Different water: rosy barbs want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Pygmy cory Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, pygmy corys want pH 6–7.5.
• Panda cory Different water: panda corys want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Hillstream loach They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Gold barb They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); yellow labs need 75–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Kuhli loach Different water: kuhli loaches want pH 5.5–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Oscar An adult oscar eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches yellow labs do.
• Ghost shrimp An electric yellow cichlid is big enough to swallow adult ghost shrimp.
• Cherry shrimp An electric yellow cichlid is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.
• Apistogramma Different water: apistogramma want pH 5–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Bichir An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches yellow labs do.
• Jack Dempsey An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches yellow labs do.
• Rummy nose tetra Different water: rummy nose tetras want pH 5.5–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Silver dollar Different water: silver dollars want pH 5–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); yellow labs need 75–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Severum Different water: severums want pH 6–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches yellow labs do.
• Neon tetra Different water: neon tetras want pH 6–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Ember tetra Different water: ember tetras want pH 5.5–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Chili rasbora Different water: chili rasboras want pH 4–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Cardinal tetra Different water: cardinal tetras want pH 4.6–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Silver arowana Different water: yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6, arowanas want pH 6–7.
• Koi Koi are coldwater animals (59–77°F); yellow labs need 75–82°F. They overlap only at 75–77°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Discus Different water: discus want pH 5.5–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• German blue ram Different water: rams want pH 5–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Flowerhorn An adult flowerhorn eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches yellow labs do.
• Killifish Different water: killifish want pH 5.5–7, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); yellow labs need 75–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); yellow labs need 75–82°F. No temperature suits both.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the electric yellow cichlid care sheet.