Nile Bichir Tank Mates

Nile Bichir is semi-aggressive, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 3 freshwater species that pair well with a nile bichir — plus the 254 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

By The Aquarium DB Team • Updated June 7, 2026 • Full Nile Bichir care guide →
Best matches

The best tank mates for a nile bichir

  • Yellow-spotted Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 35 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Semi-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.
  • Common Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 45 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 25–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Sailfin Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 50 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 25–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
With caution

Nile Bichir tank mates that can work with care

  • Adolf's Cory ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Nile Bichir 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 caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Nile Bichir may bully the smaller Agassiz's Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Angelicus Synodontis ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Assassin Snail ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Nile Bichir 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 caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Nile Bichir may bully the smaller Axelrod's Cory, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Bandit Corydoras ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Nile Bichir may bully the smaller Bandit Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Bichir ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 45 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Nile Bichir and Bichir can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Black Doras Catfish ⚠️ With caution
    Hard care · Peaceful · 60 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Your 450 L tank is below the ~500 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.

+ 75 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with a nile bichir

  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Nile Bichir and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Nile Bichir and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Nile Bichir and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Nile Bichir and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
  • Spotted Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Nile Bichir and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Wolf Cichlid ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Nile Bichir and Wolf Cichlid will hold territory and clash.
  • Ocellaris Peacock Bass ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 70 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Nile Bichir and Ocellaris Peacock Bass will hold territory and clash.
  • Mbu Puffer ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 67 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Nile Bichir and Mbu Puffer will hold territory and clash.

+ 246 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against a nile bichir

Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a nile bichir, with the reasoning for each verdict.

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Nile Bichir?

We compare each fish against your nile bichir on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.

  • Common Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 45 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, 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.
  • Sailfin Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 50 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, 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.
  • Yellow-spotted Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 35 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Semi-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.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Bichir⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 45 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Bichir can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Black Doras Catfish⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 60 cm · Hard care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~500 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Black Ghost Knifefish⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 45 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Black Ghost Knifefish can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Butter Catfish⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 45 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Butter Catfish can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~680 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Loach⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 30 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Clown Loach is small enough to tempt Nile Bichir; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
  • Elephant-nose Knifefish⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 35 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    • Watch for Nile Bichir picking off any elephant-nose knifefish small enough to fit in its mouth.
  • Fire Eel⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Fire Eel can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Giant Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 70 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Golden Sailfin Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 45 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Koi⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Lima Shovelnose Catfish⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 50 cm · Hard care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Lima Shovelnose Catfish can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Lyre Tail Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 63 cm · Hard care · 21–27 °C (70–81 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Lyre Tail Pleco can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~1500 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)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Royal Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 43 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Royal Pleco can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Spotted Shovelnose Catfish⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 55 cm · Hard care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Spotted Shovelnose Catfish can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~570 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • True Parrot Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 33 cm · Hard care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Nile Bichir may hunt True Parrot Cichlid, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Size gap is too large (250 vs 70 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Nile Bichir as food.
    • Your 450 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)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Nile Bichir and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Mbu Puffer⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 67 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Nile Bichir and Mbu Puffer will hold territory and clash.
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~757 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Ocellaris Peacock Bass⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 70 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Nile Bichir and Ocellaris Peacock Bass will hold territory and clash.
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Nile Bichir and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Nile Bichir is small enough to tempt Redtail Catfish; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
    • Your 450 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)
    • Nile Bichir and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Your 450 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)
    • Nile Bichir and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Nile Bichir is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
    • Your 450 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Nile Bichir and Wolf Cichlid will hold territory and clash.
    • Your 450 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 nile bichir community tank

Give the group a stable, planted 450 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.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — buying through these links costs you nothing extra.

How to choose

How to choose the right tank mates for a nile bichir

Being semi-aggressive, nile bichir can nip or harass smaller, slower or long-finned fish — give it space, broken sight-lines and similarly robust companions. It mostly occupies the bottom of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Nile Bichir grows to about 70 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 35 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 25–28 °C (77–82 °F), pH 6.5–7.8 and 5–20 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Nile Bichir 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.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can a nile bichir live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 3 compatible freshwater species for nile bichir. 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 nile bichir?

Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Yellow-spotted Pleco, Common Pleco, Sailfin Pleco. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.

What fish should you avoid keeping with a nile bichir?

Avoid Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar, Redtail Catfish and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.

How big a tank do nile bichir tank mates need?

Start from Nile Bichir's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 450 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.

← Back to the full Nile Bichir care guide