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.
yellowCaution, conditional match
Data confidence: high
- biotope_mismatchjohanni cichlid with bristlenose pleco is conditional rather than automatically impossible: hard, alkaline water can fit, but Malawi cichlid aggression, rockwork, adult size, and harassment risk make it a managed setup, not a peaceful community recommendation.
- aggression_riskjohanni cichlid with bristlenose pleco is conditional rather than automatically impossible: hard, alkaline water can fit, but Malawi cichlid aggression, rockwork, adult size, and harassment risk make it a managed setup, not a peaceful community recommendation.
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.