Compatibility brief
Can African Cichlid live with Corydoras Catfish?
Risky. This mix is commonly discouraged for typical setups.
Compatibility score
Profile confidence: low
Order of checkstank volume vs adults → predation mouth gap → temperament / fin nipping → shared water windows.
200L
Combined minimum footprint reference for these two species: about 200L (larger active fish often want more length).
African Cichlid (15cm adult) may treat small Corydoras Catfish (~6cm) as food once grown — plan adult sizes, not shop sizes.
African cichlids need hard alkaline water around pH 7.8 to 9, while corydoras want softer, acid-leaning water. A tap-water compromise leaves corys with eroded barbels and Africans off colour. The temperament gap is worse: mbuna and peacocks are territorial on rockwork where corys need to forage the bottom. Even when sizes look safe, stress and predation follow. Run a dedicated African cichlid tank or a soft-water South American setup — do not split the difference in one community.
Assessment details
Aggression mismatch
Top issueAfrican Cichlid is aggressive, while Corydoras Catfish is peaceful. The aggressive fish will likely bully or harm the peaceful one.
Narrow temperature overlap
African Cichlid and Corydoras Catfish have only a narrow shared temperature range. Maintaining stable water temperature will be important.
Incompatible pH requirements
African Cichlid prefers pH 7.8–9 and Corydoras Catfish prefers pH 6–7.5. Their ranges do not overlap.
Hardness preference mismatch
African Cichlid prefers hard water and Corydoras Catfish prefers soft water. One of them lives outside its comfort band long-term — pick the tank's water for the more sensitive species.
“African Cichlid is aggressive, while Corydoras Catfish is…”
Aggression mismatch
Next steps
Concrete changes, not "research more" filler.
- •Do not stock African cichlids with corydoras. Keep corys in a peaceful soft-water community, or keep Africans in a hard alkaline species tank without peaceful bottom catfish.
- •African Cichlid should be kept in a group of at least 6 for best health and behaviour.
- •Corydoras Catfish should be kept in a group of at least 6 for best health and behaviour.
Try instead
- →Build a species-only tank for the larger fish, or restock with fish too large to be eaten at adult sizes.
- Practical Fishkeeping. The Mbuna keeper’s survival guide
Primary: editor-written Malawi mbuna system setup, stocking philosophy, and aggression; use when planning a rock-scape, hard/alkaline rift system.
- Practical Fishkeeping. What’s the best Lake Malawi cichlid for beginners?
Primary: beginner-oriented Malawi cichlid planning, species picks, and tank/rockwork expectations. This profile is still a group placeholder, not one binomial.
- Seriously Fish. Corydoras paleatus
Primary: aquarium size, water chemistry, behaviour, and compatibility (URL verified in upgrade script; recheck if site content changes).
- FishBase. Corydoras paleatus
Secondary: taxonomy, distribution, and maximum length in nature; cross-check with aquarium import lines and measured tank parameters.
- Wikipedia. Corydoras paleatus
Secondary: general species context; verify all husbandry numbers against a dedicated aquarium care sheet and your test kit, not a single table row.
Try this next
Build the full stocking list with African Cichlid + Corydoras Catfish
Plan further
Check each species’ mates list, size the glass, then verify the full stock in the builder. Methodology explains how verdicts are produced.
Individual fish vary in personality. Fishori uses conservative hobby rules. Observe any new introduction closely, feed thoughtfully, and keep a quarantine or backup plan. This is not veterinary advice.
Profile data confidence: medium. Driven by the lower-confidence profile (African Cichlid): Typical care sources — trade names for this fish get mixed up, so verify the ID before you buy.