Electric yellow cichlid Tank Mates
Short answer: the best electric yellow cichlid tank mates are . Yellow labs need 75–82 °F (24–28 °C), pH 7.7–8.6 and at least 55 gallons.
Electric yellow cichlid care at a glance
| Adult size | 3.9 in (10 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 55 US gallons |
| Temperature | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) |
| pH | 7.7–8.6 |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive |
| Swims in | All levels |
| Group size | Can be kept singly or in pairs |
| Care level | Easy |
gallon tank
✅ Compatible tank mates (0)
⚠️ Possible with caution (8)
- Bristlenose pleco — pH preferences don't overlap (Bristlenose pleco 5.5–7.5, Electric yellow cichlid 7.7–8.6). Captive-bred fish often adapt, but one of them will be outside its comfort zone.
- Otocinclus — pH preferences don't overlap (Otocinclus 5.5–7.5, Electric yellow cichlid 7.7–8.6). Captive-bred fish often adapt, but one of them will be outside its comfort zone.
- Panda cory — Very narrow shared temperature range: Panda cory 22–25 °C (72–77 °F) vs Electric yellow cichlid 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- Bronze cory — Electric yellow cichlid defends a territory near the bottom (especially when breeding) and may chase bronze cory.
- Pygmy cory — pH preferences don't overlap (Pygmy cory 6.4–7.4, Electric yellow cichlid 7.7–8.6). Captive-bred fish often adapt, but one of them will be outside its comfort zone.
- Glass catfish — pH preferences don't overlap (Glass catfish 4–7, Electric yellow cichlid 7.7–8.6). Captive-bred fish often adapt, but one of them will be outside its comfort zone.
- Sterbai cory — pH preferences don't overlap (Sterbai cory 6–7.6, Electric yellow cichlid 7.7–8.6). Captive-bred fish often adapt, but one of them will be outside its comfort zone.
- Upside-down catfish — pH preferences don't overlap (Upside-down catfish 6–7.5, Electric yellow cichlid 7.7–8.6). Captive-bred fish often adapt, but one of them will be outside its comfort zone.
❌ Not recommended (63)
- Cherry shrimp — Electric yellow cichlid will hunt and eat cherry shrimp.
- Betta fish — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for betta fish.
- Dwarf gourami — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for dwarf gourami.
- Guppy — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for guppy.
- Fancy goldfish — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: Fancy goldfish 20–23 °C (68–73 °F) vs Electric yellow cichlid 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- Harlequin rasbora — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for harlequin rasbora.
- Molly — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for molly.
- Neon tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for neon tetra.
- Platy — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for platy.
- Tiger barb — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for tiger barb.
- Angelfish — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for angelfish.
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat electric yellow cichlid (10 cm).
- Nerite snail — Electric yellow cichlid eats snails.
- Pea puffer — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for pea puffer.
- Amano shrimp — Electric yellow cichlid will hunt and eat Amano shrimp.
- Celestial pearl danio — An adult electric yellow cichlid (up to 10 cm) is big enough to eat celestial pearl danio (2.5 cm).
- Chili rasbora — An adult electric yellow cichlid (up to 10 cm) is big enough to eat chili rasbora (2 cm).
- Ember tetra — An adult electric yellow cichlid (up to 10 cm) is big enough to eat ember tetra (2 cm).
- Endler's livebearer — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for Endler's livebearer.
- Mystery snail — Electric yellow cichlid eats snails.
- Black skirt tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for black skirt tetra.
- Cardinal tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for cardinal tetra.
- Cherry barb — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for cherry barb.
- German blue ram — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for German blue ram.
- Glowlight tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for glowlight tetra.
- Honey gourami — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for honey gourami.
- Kuhli loach — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for kuhli loach.
- Rummy nose tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for rummy nose tetra.
- Serpae tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for serpae tetra.
- White cloud mountain minnow — Coldwater and tropical fish don't mix: White cloud mountain minnow 14–22 °C (57–72 °F) vs Electric yellow cichlid 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- Zebra danio — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for zebra danio.
- Kribensis — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for kribensis.
- Pearl gourami — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for pearl gourami.
- Swordtail — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for swordtail.
- Three spot gourami — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for three spot gourami.
- Discus — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for discus.
- Rainbow shark — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for rainbow shark.
- Red tail shark — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for red tail shark.
- Siamese algae eater — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for Siamese algae eater.
- Common pleco — Both are territorial and use the same part of the tank, so constant fights are likely.
- Clown loach — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for clown loach.
- Sparkling gourami — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for sparkling gourami.
- Black neon tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for black neon tetra.
- Bloodfin tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for bloodfin tetra.
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for cockatoo dwarf cichlid.
- Dwarf neon rainbowfish — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for dwarf neon rainbowfish.
- Forktail blue-eye — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for forktail blue-eye.
- Lemon tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for lemon tetra.
- Paradise fish — No comfortable shared temperature: Paradise fish 10–22 °C (50–72 °F) vs Electric yellow cichlid 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- Peppered cory — No comfortable shared temperature: Peppered cory 20–24 °C (68–75 °F) vs Electric yellow cichlid 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- X-ray tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for X-ray tetra.
- Buenos Aires tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for Buenos Aires tetra.
- Congo tetra — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for Congo tetra.
- Convict cichlid — Convict cichlid is aggressive and much larger than electric yellow cichlid; it will bully or injure it.
- Gold barb — No comfortable shared temperature: Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Electric yellow cichlid 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- Odessa barb — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for Odessa barb.
- Rosy barb — No comfortable shared temperature: Rosy barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Electric yellow cichlid 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- Firemouth cichlid — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for firemouth cichlid.
- Boesemani rainbowfish — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for Boesemani rainbowfish.
- Bolivian ram — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for Bolivian ram.
- Chinese algae eater — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for Chinese algae eater.
- Jack Dempsey — An adult Jack Dempsey (up to 25 cm) is big enough to eat electric yellow cichlid (10 cm).
- Bala shark — Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid: it needs hard, alkaline water and an African-cichlid community, and is too boisterous for bala shark.
How many yellow labs per tank?
55 gal 75 gal — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.
FAQ
What fish can live with yellow labs?
Good matches include . They share a temperature range with yellow labs (75–82 °F (24–28 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.
What fish should not live with yellow labs?
Avoid Cherry shrimp, Betta fish, Dwarf gourami, Guppy, Fancy goldfish, Harlequin rasbora.
What size tank do yellow labs need?
We recommend at least 55 US gallons for one electric yellow cichlid, more if you add tank mates.
Can yellow labs live alone?
Yes. Yellow labs do not need a group, though they can be kept with compatible tank mates.
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.