Clown Loach Tank Mates

• Altifrons Geophagus✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 25–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Keep Altifrons Geophagus in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Angelicus Synodontis✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
  • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Black Collared Catfish✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 27 cm · Hard care · 23–25 °C (73–77 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–25 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Blackcheek Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 25 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Peaceful + Aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
• Blackthroat Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 25 cm · Hard care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
  • Peaceful + Aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–30 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
• Cuban Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 30 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Peaceful + Aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 25–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
• Elephant-nose Knifefish✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 35 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
  • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 25–29 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Flowerhorn Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 30 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
• Gold Nugget Pleco✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 28 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–29 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Kissing Gourami✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 30 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
• Leopard Cactus Pleco✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 30 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
  • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Mango Pleco✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 28 cm · Hard care · 25–32 °C (77–90 °F)
  • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Mayan Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 28 cm · Medium care · 20–30 °C (68–86 °F)
  • Peaceful + Aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
• Midas Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 35 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
• Oscar✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 35 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
  • Peaceful + Aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 25–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
• Peacock Eel✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 30 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 25–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Pearl Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 28 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Pearlscale Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 30 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Peaceful + Aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 25–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
• Ringtail Pike Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 28 cm · Hard care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Silver Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 30 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
• Spotted Pleco✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 30 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
  • Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 25–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Texas Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Aggressive · 33 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• True Parrot Cichlid✅ Compatible
  Semi-aggressive · 33 cm · Hard care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
• Yellow-spotted Pleco✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 35 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
  • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 25–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
• Black Belt Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Aggressive · 35 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~450 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Butter Catfish⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 45 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~680 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Electric Blue Acara⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 16 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Clown Loach may hunt Electric Blue Acara, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
• Electric Blue Hap⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 20 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Clown Loach 5–7.5 vs Electric Blue Hap 7.8–8.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
• Fahaka Puffer⚠️ With caution
  Aggressive · 45 cm · Hard care · 24–26 °C (75–79 °F)
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~450 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Gold Zebra Catfish⚠️ With caution
  Aggressive · 55 cm · Hard care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
  • Clown Loach is small enough to tempt Gold Zebra 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.
• Jaguar Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Aggressive · 55 cm · Hard care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
  • Watch for Jaguar Cichlid picking off any clown loach small enough to fit in its mouth.
• Lima Shovelnose Catfish⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 50 cm · Hard care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
  • Watch for Lima Shovelnose Catfish picking off any clown loach small enough to fit in its mouth.
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Malawi Trout Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Aggressive · 35 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (5–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Orinoco Sailfin Pleco⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 50 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~450 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Spotted Shovelnose Catfish⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 55 cm · Hard care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Watch for Spotted Shovelnose Catfish picking off any clown loach small enough to fit in its mouth.
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~570 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Sunshine Pleco⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 30 cm · Hard care · 23–29 °C (73–84 °F)
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~473 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• True Red Terror Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Aggressive · 35 cm · Hard care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~570 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Venustus Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Aggressive · 25 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Clown Loach 5–7.5 vs Venustus Cichlid 7.8–8.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
• Walking Catfish⚠️ With caution
  Aggressive · 50 cm · Medium care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
  • Clown Loach is small enough to tempt Walking Catfish; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
• Yellowjacket Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Aggressive · 35 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~450 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Size gap is too large (250 vs 30 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Clown Loach as food.
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Size gap is too large (90 vs 30 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Clown Loach as food.
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
  Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Size gap is too large (100 vs 30 cm): Fire Eel will treat Clown Loach as food.
• Imperial Flower Loach⛔ Not recommended
  Semi-aggressive · 50 cm · Hard care · 15–22 °C (59–72 °F)
  • Temperature needs don't overlap (Clown Loach 25–30 °C vs Imperial Flower Loach 15–22 °C).
  • Clown Loach is small enough to tempt Imperial Flower Loach; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Koi⛔ Not recommended
  Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
  • Clown Loach is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
  • Clown Loach is bite-sized to a 120 cm predatory redtail catfish — it will be eaten.
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
  • Size gap is too large (90 vs 30 cm): Spotted Gar will treat Clown Loach as food.
  • Your 400 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
• Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
  • Size gap is too large (300 vs 30 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Clown Loach 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.