Convict cichlid tank mates

Convict cichlid: aggressive, 5.9 in, kept in groups of 2 or more, swims in the bottom and middle of the tank and needs about 34 gallons. It eats fish that fit in its mouth. The list below checks every species in our catalog against it.

Each species is checked against convict cichlids both ways: mouth size, fin nipping, temperament, territory, water overlap and keeper reports.

Good tank mates

Clown loach
Chromobotia macracanthus
Fits
A bold orange-and-black loach that lives 20 years and grows over a foot long, so a proper group needs a 6-foot tank.
15.7 in · 202+ gal · 75–86°F · pH 5–7
Common pleco
Pterygoplichthys pardalis
Fits
The classic store 'algae eater' that grows to nearly two feet, fouls the water and eats less algae with age; a fish for very large tanks only.
22.8 in · 203+ gal · 77–82°F · pH 7–7.5
Leopard sailfin pleco
Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps
Fits
A tall-finned pleco with a brocade pattern that is sold at 2 inches and grows to about 20, needing a very large tank and heavy filtration.
19.7 in · 187+ gal · 77–86°F · pH 5–7
Severum
Heros severus / Heros efasciatus
Fits
A calm, large South American cichlid often kept with angelfish and catfish; eats soft plants and any fish that fits in its mouth.
7.9 in · 76+ gal · 72–84°F · pH 5.5–6.5
Three spot gourami
Trichopodus trichopterus
Fits
The most common gourami: hardy, omnivorous and an air breather, though males can turn quarrelsome, especially when spawning.
5.9 in · 26+ gal · 75–86°F · pH 6–8
Assassin snail
Anentome helena
Fits
A yellow-and-brown striped predatory snail kept to control bladder, ramshorn and trumpet snails; it breeds slowly and never becomes a pest.
1 in · 3+ gal · 70–81°F · pH 7.2–8
Red swamp crayfish
Procambarus clarkii
Fits
A hardy but aggressive American crayfish that digs burrows, wrecks plants and eats snails and fish; invasive in many countries and banned in the EU.
3.9 in · 25+ gal · 68–79°F · pH 7–8.5
Redclaw crayfish
Cherax quadricarinatus
Fits
A large blue-green crayfish with red patches on the claws, up to 8 inches; a predator and plant shredder best kept alone under a tight lid.
7.9 in · 47+ gal · 64–82°F · pH 7.2–8.2
Figure eight puffer
Dichotomyctere ocellatus
Fits
A small puffer with a figure-eight pattern for fresh or slightly brackish water; it loves snails and nips slow tank mates.
3.1 in · 22+ gal · 72–79°F · pH 6.5–7.5
Kissing gourami
Helostoma temminckii
Fits
The famous kissing fish grows to about 10 inches and can live over 20 years; its kisses are really contests for dominance.
9.8 in · 95+ gal · 72–86°F · pH 6–8
Pictus catfish
Pimelodus pictus
Fits
A fast, silver, black-spotted catfish with long whiskers, often sold as a bottom cleaner but actually a predator that eats neons and guppies.
4.7 in · 76+ gal · 72–77°F · pH 5.8–6.8
Striped Raphael catfish
Platydoras armatulus
Fits
An armoured 'talking' catfish with white stripes that is peaceful to fish its size but eats small fish at night and grows to about 9.5 inches.
9.4 in · 34+ gal · 75–86°F · pH 5.8–7.5
Yoyo loach
Botia almorhae
Fits
An energetic silver-and-black loach of about 6.5 inches that excels at eating snails but can tear the fins of slow, long-finned fish.
6.3 in · 76+ gal · 66–82°F · pH 6–7.5
Silver mono
Monodactylus argenteus
Fits
A silver, diamond-shaped schooling fish from mangroves that moves towards marine water as it grows; it needs a school and a large brackish tank.
6.7 in · 47+ gal · 75–82°F · pH 7.5–8.5

Risky

And 52 more in the species catalog.

Avoid

And 59 more in the species catalog.

Every tank is different. Set yours up once (size, water, who already lives there) and each species is checked against it.

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