Bristlenose Pleco tank mates

Best tank mates for Bristlenose Pleco

Pictus Catfish

13 cm · 22–26°C

Red-Tail Shark

13 cm · 20–26°C

Banjo Catfish

12 cm · 20–28°C

Brichard's Teleogramma

11 cm · 20–28°C

Keyhole Cichlid

11 cm · 21–28°C

Polka Dot Loach

15 cm · 22–28°C

Rainbow Shark

15 cm · 20–27°C

Scissortail Rasbora

15 cm · 22–25°C

Siamese Algae Eater

15 cm · 20–26°C

Vampire Shrimp

15 cm · 22–29°C

Yoyo Loach

15 cm · 20–28°C

Golden Wonder Killifish

10 cm · 20–28°C

70 more species pass every check:

Possible with care

• Acei Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• African Butterflyfish— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
• Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Altum Angelfish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Angelfish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Assassin Snail— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Auratus Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Blue Acara— Setup needs adjustments for some species
• Blue Dolphin Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Blue Tiger Shrimp— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Boesemani Rainbowfish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Borleyi (Redfin Hap)— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Borneo Sucker— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Brevis Shell Dweller— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Buenos Aires Tetra— Setup needs adjustments for some species
• Buffalohead Cichlid— Setup needs adjustments for some species
• Bumblebee Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Bumblebee Goby— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Butterfly Hillstream Loach— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Cardinal Tetra— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Celebes Rainbowfish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Checkerboard Cichlid— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Checkered Barb— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Chili Rasbora— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Chocolate Cichlid— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Chocolate Gourami— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Clown Killifish— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Cobalt Blue Zebra— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Colombian Ramshorn Snail— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Congo Dwarf Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Convict Cichlid— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
• Crystal Red Shrimp— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Cuckoo Catfish— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Cylindricus Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Demasoni Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Denison Barb— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Discus— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Doctor Fish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Dogtooth Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Dojo (Weather) Loach— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Dwarf Chain Loach— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Dwarf Orange Crayfish— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Dwarf Petricola Catfish— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Dwarf Rasbora— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Electric Blue Ahli— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Electric Yellow Lab— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Ellioti Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Elongate Mbuna— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Ember Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Endler's Livebearer— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Even-spotted Synodontis— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Festivum (Flag Cichlid)— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Figure-8 Puffer— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Firemouth Cichlid— Setup needs adjustments for some species
• Five-bar Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Forktail Rainbowfish— pH is a compromise for someone here
• German Blue Ram— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Glowlight Danio— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Gold Barb— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Golden Julie— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Green Discus— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Green Neon Tetra— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Green Terror— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Guppy— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Heckel Discus— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Hongi Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Jack Dempsey— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
• Japanese Trapdoor Snail— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Jewel Cichlid— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
• Johanni Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Kenyi Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Kissing Gourami— Setup needs adjustments for some species
• Kuhli Loach— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Lambchop Rasbora— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Least Killifish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Lemon Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Leopard Danio— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Livingstoni— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Macmasteri Dwarf Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Maingano Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Malawi Eyebiter— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Malaysian Trumpet Snail— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Marble Hatchetfish— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Marlieri Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Medaka Ricefish— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Molly— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Moonlight Gourami— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Multifasciatus Shell Dweller— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Mystery Snail— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Neon Tetra— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Nerite Snail— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Ocellatus Shell Dweller— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Odessa Barb— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Panda Corydoras— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Paradise Fish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Paraguay Eartheater— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Peacock Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Pearl Danio— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Pearl Gourami— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Peppered Corydoras— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Platy— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Port Cichlid— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Powder Blue Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Rabbit Snail— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Rainbow Cichlid— Setup needs adjustments for some species
• Ramshorn Snail— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Red Devil— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
• Red Empress— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Red Rainbowfish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Red Zebra Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Redhead Cichlid— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Regan's Julie— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Reticulated Hillstream Loach— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Rosy Barb— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Rubber Lip Pleco— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Rummynose Tetra— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Rusty Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Sailfin Molly— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Salvini Cichlid— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
• Saulosi Cichlid— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Severum— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Similis Shell Dweller— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Spotted Hoplo— Setup needs adjustments for some species
• Star Sapphire— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Sterbai Corydoras— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Strawberry Rasbora— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Sunshine Peacock— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Sveni Eartheater— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Swordtail— pH is a compromise for someone here
• T-Bar Cichlid— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Taiwan Reef Cichlid— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Texas Cichlid— Some tension — cover and space are doing the work
• Threadfin Acara— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Threadfin Rainbowfish— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Three-spot Gourami— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Turquoise Rainbowfish— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Uaru (Triangle Cichlid)— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)— Everyone is close on pH — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• White Cloud Mountain Minnow— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite
• Wrestling Halfbeak— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Zebra Danio— Temperature is a compromise for someone here
• Zebra Mbuna— pH is a compromise for someone here
• Zebra Pleco— Everyone is close on temperature — one fish sits just outside its favourite

Avoid with Bristlenose Pleco

• Adonis Pleco— Tank is too small for some species
• Bala Shark— Tank is too small for some species
• Black Moor Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
• Brichardi (Fairy Cichlid)— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
• Calvus Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
• Clown Loach— Tank is too small for some species
• Comet Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
• Common Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
• Common Pleco— Tank is too small for some species
• Compressiceps Cichlid— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
• Cyprichromis— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
• Demon Eartheater— Tank is too small for some species
• Duboisi Tropheus— No pH value suits every species here
• Endlicheri Bichir— Tank is too small for some species
• Fantail Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
• Frontosa— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
• Goby Cichlid— No pH value suits every species here
• Green Spotted Pufferfish— Freshwater and brackish species cannot share a tank
• Iridescent Shark— Tank is too small for some species
• Jaguar Cichlid— Tank is too small for some species
• Koi— No temperature suits every species here
• Malawi Hawk— Tank is too small for some species
• Masked Julie— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
• Oranda Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
• Ornate Bichir— Tank is too small for some species
• Oscar— Tank is too small for some species
• Peacock Bass— Tank is too small for some species
• Pike Cichlid— Tank is too small for some species
• Ranchu Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
• Red Terror— Tank is too small for some species
• Reticulated Flying Fox— Tank is too small for some species
• Rostratus— Tank is too small for some species
• Rosy Red Minnow— No temperature suits every species here
• Royal Pleco— Tank is too small for some species
• Ryukin Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
• Sailfin Pleco— Tank is too small for some species
• Sand-sifting Xenotilapia— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
• Shubunkin Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
• Silver Arowana— Tank is too small for some species
• Silver Moony— Freshwater and brackish species cannot share a tank
• Telescope Goldfish— No temperature suits every species here
• Threadfin Petrochromis— Only one pH value suits everyone — no margin
• Tropheus— No pH value suits every species here
• Wolf Cichlid— Tank is too small for some species

Frequently asked questions

What are the best tank mates for Bristlenose Pleco?

Top engine-approved picks: Pictus Catfish, Red-Tail Shark, Banjo Catfish, Brichard's Teleogramma, Keyhole Cichlid. Each shares a workable temperature and pH band with Bristlenose Pleco and clears the temperament and predation checks in a spacious reference tank.

What fish should you avoid keeping with Bristlenose Pleco?

The engine red-flags Adonis Pleco, Bala Shark, Black Moor Goldfish among others — for incompatible water, temperament conflict or predation risk. The avoid list above states the specific reason for each pairing.