Powder Blue Cichlid Tank Mates

• Banjo Catfish✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Bearded Corydoras✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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.
• Black Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Bolivian Ram✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Bristlenose Pleco✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Burmese Loach✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °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.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Clown Pleco✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °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.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • 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.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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.
• Giant Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °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.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Leopard Frog Pleco✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °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.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Pantanal Corydoras✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Pantanal Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Peppered Corydoras✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Porthole Catfish✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °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.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Rubber Lip Pleco✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Snowball Pleco✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • 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.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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 Corydoras✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °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.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Spotted Rubbernose Pleco✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid 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)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Sterbai Corydoras✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Sterbai Corydoras 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 Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Zebra Loach✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
  • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Zebra Pleco✅ Compatible
  Peaceful · 10 cm · Hard care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
  • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Banded Gourami⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 12 cm · Easy 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.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Blue Gourami⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 13 cm · Easy 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.
  • Powder Blue Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Blue Gourami is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid 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)
  • Powder Blue Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Boesemani Rainbowfish — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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.
• Calvus Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 14 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
  • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Cupid Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Powder Blue Cichlid 7.5–8.5 vs Cupid Cichlid 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.
  • Powder Blue Cichlid and Cupid Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Giant Betta⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Powder Blue Cichlid 7.5–8.5 vs Giant Betta 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.
  • Expect Powder Blue Cichlid to harass Giant Betta at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Golden Vampire Pleco⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 11 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
  • Powder Blue Cichlid and Golden Vampire Pleco can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Mascara Barb⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
  • Powder Blue Cichlid and Mascara Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add mascara barb in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keep Mascara Barb in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Medusa Pleco⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
  • Different pH ranges (7.5–8.5 vs 6.4–7.4); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • Powder Blue Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Murray River Rainbowfish — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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.
• Pearl Gourami⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Powder Blue Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Pearl Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Pictus Catfish⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 12 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
  • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Polka-dot Loach⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 13 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Striped Eel Loach⚠️ With caution
  Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Powder Blue Cichlid 7.5–8.5 vs Striped Eel Loach 6–7.2) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• T-bar Cichlid⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 12 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.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Tiger Betta⚠️ With caution
  Semi-aggressive · 11 cm · Hard care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
  • pH preferences only just meet (Powder Blue Cichlid 7.5–8.5 vs Tiger Betta 5–7) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • One likes softer water and the other harder (10–20 vs 0–8 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
  • Powder Blue Cichlid and Tiger Betta can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Powder Blue Cichlid and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
  • Powder Blue Cichlid is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
  • Alligator Gar is slow and long-finned; a busy powder blue cichlid shoal tends to nip at it. Keep powder blue cichlid in a proper group of 6+ and watch them closely.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • Powder Blue Cichlid and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Powder Blue Cichlid is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory clown knifefish — it will be eaten.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • Powder Blue Cichlid is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
  • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • Size gap is too large (90 vs 12 cm): Koi will treat Powder Blue Cichlid as food.
  • Powder Blue Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Koi is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Powder Blue Cichlid and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
  • Size gap is too large (120 vs 12 cm): Redtail Catfish will treat Powder Blue Cichlid as food.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Powder Blue Cichlid and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
  • Size gap is too large (90 vs 12 cm): Spotted Gar will treat Powder Blue Cichlid as food.
  • Spotted Gar is slow and long-finned; a busy powder blue cichlid shoal tends to nip at it. Keep powder blue cichlid in a proper group of 6+ and watch them closely.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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)
  • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Powder Blue Cichlid and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
  • Wels Catfish (300 cm) is big enough to swallow the 12 cm Powder Blue Cichlid whole.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
• Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommended
  Aggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
  • Powder Blue Cichlid and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Size gap is too large (72 vs 12 cm): Wolf Cichlid will treat Powder Blue Cichlid as food.
  • Powder Blue Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Wolf Cichlid is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
  • Your 170 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Keep Powder Blue 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.