Can Johanni Cichlid live with Bristlenose Pleco?

Troubleshooting community setups: see the compatibility result using temperature, pH, GH/KH, adult size, behavior, schooling needs, and predator/prey rules.

Quick Summary: Sometimes, but only if the warnings are handled. We evaluated Johanni Cichlid and Bristlenose Pleco for 2 specific conflict codes. Plan for at least 55 gallons.

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Caution, conditional match

Data confidence: high

Verified sources: Mbuna overview

johanni cichlid | bristlenose pleco | johanni cichlid | bristlenose pleco

Water parameter comparison

Johanni Cichlid temperature72-82F
Bristlenose Pleco temperature72-80F
Johanni Cichlid pH7.5-8.8
Bristlenose Pleco pH6.2-7.8
Johanni Cichlid GH10-20 dGH
Bristlenose Pleco GH4-18 dGH
Minimum tank55 gal
Last updated2026-06-11

Confidence: high. Aggression, predator/prey, shrimp risk, schooling, and tank size rules are evaluated from curated freshwater attributes.

Next steps

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