Compatibility brief
Can African Cichlid live with Golden / Beckford's pencilfish?
Risky. This mix is commonly discouraged for typical setups.
African Cichlid + Golden / Beckford's pencilfish: Aggression mismatch. African Cichlid is aggressive, while Golden / Beckford's pencilfish is peaceful. The aggressive fish will likely bully or harm the peaceful one. Real tanks add variables Fishori cannot model; treat this as a high-risk read, not certainty.
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 Golden / Beckford's pencilfish (~4.5cm) as food once grown — plan adult sizes, not shop sizes.
African Cichlid (aggressive) and Golden / Beckford's pencilfish (peaceful) are far apart on aggression — bullying or injury is a common outcome in average community layouts.
Assessment details
Aggression mismatch
Top issueAfrican Cichlid is aggressive, while Golden / Beckford's pencilfish is peaceful. The aggressive fish will likely bully or harm the peaceful one.
Compatible temperature range
Both fish can comfortably share similar water temperatures.
Incompatible pH requirements
African Cichlid prefers pH 7.8–9 and Golden / Beckford's pencilfish prefers pH 5–7. Their ranges do not overlap.
“African Cichlid is aggressive, while Golden / Beckford's…”
Aggression mismatch
Next steps
Concrete changes, not "research more" filler.
- •African Cichlid should be kept in a group of at least 6 for best health and behaviour.
- •Golden / Beckford's pencilfish should be kept in a group of at least 6 for best health and behaviour.
Try instead
- →African Cichlid should be kept in a group of at least 6 for best health and behaviour.
- →Golden / Beckford's pencilfish should be kept in a group of at least 6 for best health and behaviour.
- →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. Nannostomus beckfordi
Primary: aquarium size, water chemistry, behaviour, and compatibility (URL verified in upgrade script; recheck if site content changes).
- FishBase. Nannostomus beckfordi
Secondary: taxonomy, distribution, and maximum length in nature; cross-check with aquarium import lines and measured tank parameters.
- Wikipedia. Nannostomus beckfordi
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 + Golden / Beckford's pencilfish
Plan further
Try both species in the full-stock tank check, or open either fish profile for mates lists. 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): Based on typical aquarium care sources; trade names can be ambiguous, so details may vary between setups.