Midas Cichlid Tank Mates
Midas Cichlid is aggressive, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 4 freshwater species that pair well with a midas cichlid — plus the 266 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.
The best tank mates for a midas cichlid
- Spotted Talking Catfish ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 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.
- Weather Loach ✅ CompatibleEasy care · Peaceful · 25 cm · 5–24 °C (41–75 °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 ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Peaceful · 16 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °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.
- Yellow-spotted Pleco ✅ CompatibleMedium care · Peaceful · 35 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
Midas Cichlid tank mates that can work with care
- Adolf's Cory ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)Water hardness preferences differ (Midas Cichlid 10–20 vs Adolf's Cory 1–8 dGH).
- Agassiz's Corydoras ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)Midas 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)Midas Cichlid may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
- Assassin Snail ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)Midas 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)Midas 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)Midas Cichlid clearly outsizes Bamboo Shrimp and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Bandit Corydoras ⚠️ With cautionEasy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)Midas Cichlid may bully the smaller Bandit Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Banjo Catfish ⚠️ With cautionMedium care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)Banjo Catfish is small enough to tempt Midas Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
+ 62 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.
Fish to avoid keeping with a midas cichlid
- Mekong Giant Catfish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Semi-aggressive · 300 cm · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Mekong Giant Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Wels Catfish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Alligator Gar ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
- Redtail Catfish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Fire Eel ⛔ AvoidMedium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Midas Cichlid and Fire Eel are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Clown Knifefish ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)Midas Cichlid and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Spotted Gar ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
- Wolf Cichlid ⛔ AvoidHard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)Midas Cichlid and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
+ 258 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.
Check any fish against a midas cichlid
Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a midas cichlid, with the reasoning for each verdict.
Tank-mate checker
Will it live with a Midas Cichlid?
We compare each fish against your midas cichlid on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Snowball Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °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 Talking Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 15 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.
- Weather Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 25 cm · Easy care · 5–24 °C (41–75 °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.
- Yellow-spotted Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 35 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Banjo Catfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Banjo Catfish is small enough to tempt Midas Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Black Doras Catfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 60 cm · Hard care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 300 L tank is below the ~500 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Bristlenose Pleco⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
- Midas Cichlid may bully the smaller Bristlenose Pleco, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Clown Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 30 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Your 300 L tank is below the ~400 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Common Pleco⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 45 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 300 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Denison Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
- Midas Cichlid clearly outsizes Denison Barb and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Watch for Midas Cichlid picking off any denison barb small enough to fit in its mouth.
- Keep Denison Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Discus⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 20 cm · Hard care · 28–31 °C (82–88 °F)
- Water hardness preferences differ (Midas Cichlid 10–20 vs Discus 1–8 dGH).
- Midas Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Discus — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Discus in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Elephant-nose Knifefish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 35 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Water hardness preferences differ (Midas Cichlid 10–20 vs Elephant-nose Knifefish 1–8 dGH).
- Giant Betta⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- One likes softer water and the other harder (10–20 vs 1–8 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Midas Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Giant Betta — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Midas Cichlid may hunt Giant Betta, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
- Giant Glass Catfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Midas 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)
- Midas Cichlid may hunt Giant Kuhli Loach, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
- Koi⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Midas Cichlid is small enough to tempt Koi; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Your 300 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Marbled Hoplo⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Midas Cichlid may bully the smaller Marbled Hoplo, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Mascara Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- Midas Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Mascara Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Midas Cichlid may hunt Mascara Barb, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
- Keep Mascara Barb in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Moonlight Gourami⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Midas Cichlid clearly outsizes Moonlight Gourami and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Moonlight Gourami is small enough to tempt Midas Cichlid; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Sailfin Pleco⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 50 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 300 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
- Alligator Gar (250 cm) is big enough to swallow the 35 cm Midas Cichlid whole.
- Your 300 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)
- Midas Cichlid and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 35 cm Midas Cichlid whole.
- Your 300 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)
- Midas Cichlid and Fire Eel are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 35 cm Midas Cichlid whole.
- Your 300 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Mekong Giant Catfish⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Mekong Giant Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Your 300 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)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Size gap is too large (120 vs 35 cm): Redtail Catfish will treat Midas Cichlid as food.
- Your 300 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)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
- Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 35 cm Midas Cichlid whole.
- Your 300 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)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Midas Cichlid and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Size gap is too large (300 vs 35 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Midas Cichlid as food.
- Your 300 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Midas Cichlid and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Watch for Wolf Cichlid picking off any midas cichlid small enough to fit in its mouth.
- Your 300 L tank is below the ~760 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 midas cichlid community tank
Give the group a stable, planted 300 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 midas cichlid
Midas 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.
Midas Cichlid grows to about 35 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 18 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 24–28 °C (75–82 °F), pH 7–8 and 10–20 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.
Midas 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 midas cichlid live with other fish?
Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 4 compatible freshwater species for midas 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 midas cichlid?
Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Spotted Talking Catfish, Weather Loach, Snowball Pleco. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.
What fish should you avoid keeping with a midas 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 midas cichlid tank mates need?
Start from Midas Cichlid's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 300 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.