Johanni Cichlid Tank Mates

• Blue Turbo Snail✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Corydoras Catfish✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Corydoras Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Japanese Trapdoor Snail✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 10–28 °C (50–82 °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.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Marbled Hoplo✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Spotfin Corydoras✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Spotfin Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Spotted Talking Catfish✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °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.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Upside-down Catfish✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Bearded Corydoras⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6–7.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Bearded Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Boesemani Rainbowfish⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 11 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Johanni Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Boesemani Rainbowfish is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Boesemani Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Brilliant Rasbora⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 5.5–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Johanni Cichlid and Brilliant Rasbora are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add brilliant rasbora in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Brilliant Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Burmese Loach⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Johanni Cichlid 7.8–8.6 vs Burmese Loach 6.5–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Clown Pleco⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Johanni Cichlid 7.8–8.6 vs Clown Pleco 6.5–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Clown Rasbora⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 5.5–7); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Expect Johanni Cichlid to harass Clown Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Clown Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Giant Danio⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 20–27 °C (68–81 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Johanni Cichlid 7.8–8.6 vs Giant Danio 6.5–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • Johanni Cichlid and Giant Danio are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add giant danio in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Giant Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Keyhole Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Expect Johanni Cichlid to harass Keyhole Cichlid at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Kuhli Loach⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Johanni Cichlid 7.8–8.6 vs Kuhli Loach 5.5–7) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • One likes softer water and the other harder (10–20 vs 1–8 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Leopard Frog Pleco⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Molly⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
  • Expect Johanni Cichlid to harass Molly at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Murray River Rainbowfish⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 11 cm · Easy care · 15–26 °C (59–79 °F)
  • Johanni Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Murray River Rainbowfish is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Murray River Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Porthole Catfish⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Silver Tetra⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Johanni Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Silver Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Thick-lipped Gourami⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Johanni Cichlid 7.8–8.6 vs Thick-lipped Gourami 6.5–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • Johanni Cichlid and Thick-lipped Gourami are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add thick-lipped gourami in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Zebra Pleco⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Hard care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6.5–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Johanni Cichlid and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Johanni Cichlid is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
  • Johanni Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Alligator Gar is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
  • Your 200 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Johanni Cichlid and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
  • Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 10 cm Johanni Cichlid whole.
  • pH preferences only just meet (Johanni Cichlid 7.8–8.6 vs Clown Knifefish 6–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • Your 200 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
  Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Johanni Cichlid and Fire Eel will hold territory and clash.
  • Johanni Cichlid is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
  • pH preferences only just meet (Johanni Cichlid 7.8–8.6 vs Fire Eel 6.5–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • Your 200 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Koi⛔ Not recommended
  Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
  • Johanni Cichlid is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
  • Koi is slow and long-finned; a busy johanni cichlid shoal tends to nip at it. Keep johanni cichlid in a proper group of 6+ and watch them closely.
  • Your 200 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Mekong Giant Catfish⛔ Not recommended
  Semi-aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
  • Johanni Cichlid and Mekong Giant Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6.5–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Johanni Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Mekong Giant Catfish is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
  • Your 200 L tank is below the ~100000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
  • Johanni Cichlid and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Johanni Cichlid is bite-sized to a 120 cm predatory redtail catfish — it will be eaten.
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Your 200 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
  • Johanni Cichlid and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Johanni Cichlid is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6.5–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Johanni Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Spotted Gar is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
  • Your 200 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
  • Johanni Cichlid and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Size gap is too large (300 vs 10 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Johanni Cichlid as food.
  • Different pH ranges (7.8–8.6 vs 6.5–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Your 200 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Johanni Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.

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.