Blackthroat Cichlid Tank Mates
Blackthroat Cichlid is aggressive, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 12 freshwater species that pair well with a blackthroat cichlid — plus the 261 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.
The best tank mates for a blackthroat cichlid
- Bristlenose Pleco ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Rubber Lip Pleco ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Marbled Hoplo ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 14 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Spotted Talking Catfish ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Medusa Pleco ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Spotted Rubbernose Pleco ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Banjo Catfish ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Snowball Pleco ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Peaceful · 16 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Clown Loach ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Peaceful · 30 cm · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–30 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Yellow-spotted Pleco ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Peaceful · 35 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Sailfin Pleco ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Peaceful · 50 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Elephant-nose Knifefish ✅ CompatibleHard care · Peaceful · 35 cm · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–29 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
Blackthroat Cichlid tank mates that can work with care
- Adolf's Cory ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid may bully the smaller Adolf's Cory, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Agassiz's Corydoras ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid may bully the smaller Agassiz's Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)Adult Amano Shrimp might survive with Blackthroat Cichlid, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
- Assassin Snail ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid may bully the smaller Assassin Snail, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Axelrod's Cory ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid may bully the smaller Axelrod's Cory, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Bamboo Shrimp ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)Expect Blackthroat Cichlid to harass Bamboo Shrimp at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Bandit Corydoras ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid may bully the smaller Bandit Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Black Doras Catfish ⚠️ With cautionHard care · Peaceful · 60 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid is small enough to tempt Black Doras Catfish; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
+ 59 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.
Fish to avoid keeping with a blackthroat cichlid
- Mekong Giant Catfish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Semi-aggressive · 300 cm · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid and Mekong Giant Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Wels Catfish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)Temperature needs don't overlap (Blackthroat Cichlid 26–30 °C vs Wels Catfish 15–25 °C).
- Alligator Gar ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Redtail Catfish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Fire Eel ⛔ AvoidMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Blackthroat Cichlid and Fire Eel will hold territory and clash.
- Clown Knifefish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Blackthroat Cichlid and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
- Koi ⛔ AvoidMedium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)Size gap is too large (90 vs 25 cm): Koi will treat Blackthroat Cichlid as food.
- Spotted Gar ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)Blackthroat Cichlid and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
+ 253 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.
Check any fish against a blackthroat cichlid
Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a blackthroat cichlid, with the reasoning for each verdict.
Tank-mate checker
Will it live with a Blackthroat Cichlid?
We compare each fish against your blackthroat cichlid on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Banjo Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Bristlenose Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Clown Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 30 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–30 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Elephant-nose Knifefish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 35 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–29 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Marbled Hoplo✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Medusa Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Rubber Lip Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Sailfin Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 50 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Snowball Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Spotted Rubbernose Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Spotted Talking Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Yellow-spotted Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 35 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Black Doras Catfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 60 cm · Hard care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid is small enough to tempt Black Doras Catfish; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Your 400 L tank is below the ~500 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Boesemani Rainbowfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 11 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Blackthroat Cichlid to harass Boesemani Rainbowfish at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Boesemani Rainbowfish is small enough to tempt Blackthroat Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Keep Boesemani Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Clown Rasbora⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Clown Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Clown Rasbora is small enough to tempt Blackthroat Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Keep Clown Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Common Pleco⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 45 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Watch for Common Pleco picking off any blackthroat cichlid small enough to fit in its mouth.
- Discus⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 20 cm · Hard care · 28–31 °C (82–88 °F)
- Expect Blackthroat Cichlid to harass Discus at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Discus in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Giant Betta⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Giant Betta — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Giant Betta is small enough to tempt Blackthroat Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Giant Danio⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 20–27 °C (68–81 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid clearly outsizes Giant Danio and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Watch for Blackthroat Cichlid picking off any giant danio small enough to fit in its mouth.
- Keep Giant Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Giant Glass Catfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Giant Glass Catfish — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Giant Kuhli Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Giant Kuhli Loach is small enough to tempt Blackthroat Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Keyhole Cichlid⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Expect Blackthroat Cichlid to harass Keyhole Cichlid at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keyhole Cichlid is small enough to tempt Blackthroat Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Kuhli Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Kuhli Loach is small enough to tempt Blackthroat Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Molly⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid clearly outsizes Molly and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Blackthroat Cichlid may hunt Molly, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
- Moonlight Gourami⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid clearly outsizes Moonlight Gourami and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Murray River Rainbowfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 11 cm · Easy care · 15–26 °C (59–79 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid clearly outsizes Murray River Rainbowfish and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Watch for Blackthroat Cichlid picking off any murray river rainbowfish small enough to fit in its mouth.
- Keep Murray River Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Pearl Gourami⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Pearl Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Pearl Gourami is small enough to tempt Blackthroat Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Striped Eel Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Watch for Blackthroat Cichlid picking off any striped eel loach small enough to fit in its mouth.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Size gap is too large (250 vs 25 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Blackthroat Cichlid as food.
- Your 400 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Blackthroat Cichlid and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 25 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Blackthroat Cichlid as food.
- Your 400 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Blackthroat Cichlid and Fire Eel will hold territory and clash.
- Size gap is too large (100 vs 25 cm): Fire Eel will treat Blackthroat Cichlid as food.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 25 cm): Koi will treat Blackthroat Cichlid as food.
- Your 400 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Mekong Giant Catfish⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid and Mekong Giant Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Your 400 L tank is below the ~100000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 25 cm Blackthroat Cichlid whole.
- Your 400 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Blackthroat Cichlid and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 25 cm Blackthroat Cichlid whole.
- Your 400 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Temperature needs don't overlap (Blackthroat Cichlid 26–30 °C vs Wels Catfish 15–25 °C).
- Blackthroat Cichlid and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Size gap is too large (300 vs 25 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Blackthroat Cichlid as food.
- Your 400 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Setting up a blackthroat cichlid community tank
Give the group a stable, planted 400 L+ tank with a gentle filter, a reliable heater and plenty of cover — broken sight lines and hiding spots let mid-water and bottom dwellers keep out of each other's way. Cycle it fully and stock gradually.
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How to choose the right tank mates for a blackthroat cichlid
Blackthroat Cichlid is aggressive and territorial, so most community fish are unsafe; any tank mate must be large, tough and able to hold its own. It mostly occupies the middle of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.
Blackthroat Cichlid grows to about 25 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 13 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 26–30 °C (79–86 °F), pH 7–8 and 5–15 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.
Blackthroat Cichlid doesn't need its own kind to feel secure; think twice before keeping more than one if it is territorial. Whatever you add, introduce new fish slowly, watch for bullying in the first days, and have a backup plan if temperaments clash.
Frequently asked questions
Can a blackthroat cichlid live with other fish?
Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 12 compatible freshwater species for blackthroat cichlid. Pick calm, similarly-sized fish that share its water needs and add them to a mature, well-planted tank.
What is the best tank mate for a blackthroat cichlid?
Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Bristlenose Pleco, Rubber Lip Pleco, Marbled Hoplo. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.
What fish should you avoid keeping with a blackthroat cichlid?
Avoid Mekong Giant Catfish, Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.
How big a tank do blackthroat cichlid tank mates need?
Start from Blackthroat Cichlid's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 400 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.