Common pleco Tank Mates

Short answer: the best common pleco tank mates are Cherry shrimp, Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora. Common plecos need 73–82 °F (23–28 °C), pH 7–7.5 and at least 125 gallons.

Pterygoplichthys pardalis · rated against 71 species · check your own combination

Same species: Keep only one common pleco (or one male) per tank — males fight, often to the death.

Common pleco care at a glance

Adult size	17.7 in (45 cm)
Minimum tank	125 US gallons
Temperature	73–82 °F (23–28 °C)
pH	7–7.5
Temperament	Peaceful
Swims in	Bottom
Group size	Keep one male per tank
Care level	Easy

Sources: FishBase · Wikipedia · Aqueon care sheet. Review note: FishBase 23-28 C, pH 7.0-7.5; Wikipedia pH 7.0-7.5; Aqueon: common plecos exceed 30 cm and need 75+ gal (we use 125, conservative). Last reviewed 2026-11-04.

Only show tank mates that fit my gallon tank

✅ Compatible tank mates (50)

Cherry shrimp (min 5 gal)
Betta fish (min 10 gal)
Dwarf gourami (min 10 gal)
Guppy (min 10 gal)
Bristlenose pleco (min 20 gal)
Harlequin rasbora (min 20 gal)
Molly (min 20 gal)
Neon tetra (min 20 gal)
Platy (min 20 gal)
Tiger barb (min 30 gal)
Angelfish (min 55 gal)
Nerite snail (min 5 gal)
Amano shrimp (min 10 gal)
Celestial pearl danio (min 10 gal)
Chili rasbora (min 10 gal)
Ember tetra (min 10 gal)
Endler's livebearer (min 10 gal)
Mystery snail (min 10 gal)
Otocinclus (min 10 gal)
Panda cory (min 10 gal)
Black skirt tetra (min 20 gal)
Bronze cory (min 20 gal)
Cardinal tetra (min 20 gal)
Cherry barb (min 20 gal)
Glowlight tetra (min 20 gal)
Honey gourami (min 20 gal)
Kuhli loach (min 20 gal)
Rummy nose tetra (min 20 gal)
Serpae tetra (min 20 gal)
Zebra danio (min 20 gal)
Pearl gourami (min 30 gal)
Swordtail (min 30 gal)
Three spot gourami (min 35 gal)
Discus (min 75 gal)
Clown loach (min 180 gal)
Pygmy cory (min 10 gal)
Sparkling gourami (min 10 gal)
Black neon tetra (min 20 gal)
Bloodfin tetra (min 20 gal)
Dwarf neon rainbowfish (min 20 gal)
Forktail blue-eye (min 20 gal)
Glass catfish (min 20 gal)
Lemon tetra (min 20 gal)
Sterbai cory (min 20 gal)
X-ray tetra (min 20 gal)
Buenos Aires tetra (min 30 gal)
Congo tetra (min 30 gal)
Odessa barb (min 30 gal)
Upside-down catfish (min 30 gal)
Bala shark (min 250 gal)

⚠️ Possible with caution (4)

Peppered cory (min 20 gal) — Very narrow shared temperature range: Common pleco 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Peppered cory 20–24 °C (68–75 °F).
Gold barb (min 30 gal) — Very narrow shared temperature range: Common pleco 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
Rosy barb (min 30 gal) — Very narrow shared temperature range: Common pleco 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Rosy barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
Boesemani rainbowfish (min 55 gal) — Very narrow shared temperature range: Boesemani rainbowfish 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Common pleco 23–28 °C (73–82 °F).

❌ Not recommended (17)

Fancy goldfish (min 20 gal) — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Common pleco 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Fancy goldfish 20–23 °C (68–73 °F).
Oscar (min 180 gal) — Oscar is aggressive and will bully peaceful common pleco.
Pea puffer (min 5 gal) — Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful common pleco.
German blue ram (min 20 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
White cloud mountain minnow (min 20 gal) — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Common pleco 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs White cloud mountain minnow 14–22 °C (57–72 °F).
Kribensis (min 30 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
Electric yellow cichlid (min 55 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
Rainbow shark (min 75 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
Red tail shark (min 75 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
Siamese algae eater (min 75 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid (min 20 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
Paradise fish (min 20 gal) — No comfortable shared temperature: Common pleco 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Paradise fish 10–22 °C (50–72 °F).
Convict cichlid (min 30 gal) — Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully peaceful common pleco.
Firemouth cichlid (min 40 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
Bolivian ram (min 55 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
Chinese algae eater (min 75 gal) — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
Jack Dempsey (min 75 gal) — Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully peaceful common pleco.

How many common plecos per tank?

Larger than the tank sizes we cover. — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.

FAQ

What fish can live with common plecos?

Good matches include Cherry shrimp, Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora. They share a temperature range with common plecos (73–82 °F (23–28 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.

What fish should not live with common plecos?

Avoid Fancy goldfish, Oscar, Pea puffer, German blue ram, White cloud mountain minnow, Kribensis.

What size tank do common plecos need?

We recommend at least 125 US gallons for one common pleco, more if you add tank mates.

Can common plecos live alone?

Yes. Keep only one common pleco (or one male) per tank — males fight, often to the death.

Note: Compatibility depends on individual temperament, tank size, decor and how fish are introduced. Our verdicts use conservative rules applied to published care data (see methodology). They are guidance, not a guarantee. Quarantine new fish and watch for chasing, torn fins or hiding.