Peacock Bass tank mates
Cichla ocellaris
5 rated pairings from the Peacock Bass care guide. Compatibility here means water, temperament, tank zone and adult size all line up — the note on each card says why. Peacock Bass needs at least 200 gallons on its own; every companion adds to that.
Good matches
3 · Compatible with normal care — watch space and numbers.
Gold Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Too large to be eaten; provides cleanup but may be harassed
Bristlenose Pleco
Ancistrus sp.
20 gal min · 5" adult · Peaceful
Armored body and nocturnal behavior reduce predation risk; large enough to avoid mouth
Royal Pleco
Panaque nigrolineatus
120 gal min · 17" adult · Peaceful
Large, armored, and nocturnal; unlikely to be preyed upon despite size of tank mate
Use caution
2 · Works in the right setup; read the note before combining.Pacu
Colossoma macropomum
500 gal min · 42" adult · Semi-aggressive
Similar size and temperament; may work in very large tanks but aggression risk remains high
Severum
Heros severus
55 gal min · 8" adult · Semi-aggressive
Large cichlid that may survive but constant aggression and predation risk present
Also recommended alongside Peacock Bass
Species whose own guides list Peacock Bass as a tank mate.
Dovii Cichlid
Parachromis dovii
180 gal min · 28" adult · Aggressive
Jaguar Cichlid
Parachromis managuensis
75 gal min · 16" adult · Aggressive
Marbled Sleeper Goby
Oxyeleotris marmorata
200 gal min · 24" adult · Aggressive
Red Tail Catfish
Phractocephalus hemioliopterus
1000 gal min · 48" adult · Aggressive
Wolf Fish
Hoplias malabaricus
150 gal min · 35" adult · Aggressive
Planning this tank?
Run the whole stock list through the calculator — it checks bioload and schooling numbers, not just pairings.