Tank mates for pictus catfish

We checked pictus catfish against all 149 other species in our database for water temperature, pH, size, fin nipping, predation and aggression.

Good tank mates for pictus catfish include nerite snail, bronze corydoras, tiger barb, assassin snail, ramshorn snail and malaysian trumpet snail. Avoid cherry shrimp, guppy and neon tetra: pictus catfish eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.

Pictus catfish: 22–25°C (72–77°F), pH 6–7, adult size 13 cm (5.1 in), minimum tank 75 gallons (284 L). Full pictus catfish care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (24)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

Caution Possible, with care (63)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

  • Angelfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Betta fish · 5+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Pictus catfish may eat bettas, especially young or small ones.
  • Bristlenose pleco · 20+ gal
    • Bristlenose pleco defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Common goldfish · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–22°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Common pleco · 150+ gal
    • Common pleco defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Dwarf gourami · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Fancy goldfish · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Oscar · 75+ gal
    • Oscar may eat pictus catfish, especially young or small ones.
    • Oscar is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pictus catfish.
  • Amano shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Pictus catfish hunts shrimp. Larger amano shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Black skirt tetra · 20+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat black skirt tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–25°C).
  • Dojo loach · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Dwarf neon rainbowfish · 20+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat dwarf neon rainbowfish, especially young or small ones.
  • Electric blue acara · 40+ gal
    • Electric blue acara defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Firemouth cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Firemouth cichlid defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Ghost shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Pictus catfish hunts shrimp. Larger ghost shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Pictus catfish may eat hillstream loaches, especially young or small ones.
  • Julii corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat julii corydoras, especially young or small ones.
  • Kribensis · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Kribensis defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Kuhli loach · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Molly · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Their preferred pH ranges don't quite overlap (6–7 vs 7.5–8.5).
  • Mystery snail · 10+ gal
    • Their preferred pH ranges don't quite overlap (6–7 vs 7.2–8).
  • Pearl gourami · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Peppered corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat peppered corydoras, especially young or small ones.
  • Platy · 15+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat platies, especially young or small ones.
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Red-tail shark · 75+ gal
    • Red-tail shark defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Senegal bichir · 90+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Senegal bichir is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pictus catfish.
  • Silver dollar · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Sterbai corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat sterbai corydoras, especially young or small ones.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Yoyo loach · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • African butterfly fish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–25°C).
    • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Bamboo shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Pictus catfish hunts shrimp. Larger bamboo shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Black ghost knifefish · 125+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Bleeding heart tetra · 29+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat bleeding heart tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Bolivian ram · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Bolivian ram defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Clown pleco · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Cockatoo cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Cockatoo cichlid defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Diamond tetra · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Pictus catfish may eat diamond tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Dwarf chain loach · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Pictus catfish may eat dwarf chain loaches, especially young or small ones.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Pictus catfish may attack small crustaceans like dwarf orange crayfish, especially after they molt.
  • Gardneri killifish · 10+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat gardneri killifish, especially young or small ones.
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Odessa barb · 20+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat odessa barbs, especially young or small ones.
  • Paradise fish · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Peacock gudgeon · 15+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat peacock gudgeons, especially young or small ones.
  • Rabbit snail · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–25°C).
    • Their preferred pH ranges don't quite overlap (6–7 vs 7.5–8.5).
  • Red rainbowfish · 40+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Ropefish · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Rubber lip pleco · 29+ gal
    • Rubber lip pleco defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.
  • Severum · 55+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Thai micro crab · 5+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may attack small crustaceans like Thai micro crabs, especially after they molt.
  • Upside-down catfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
  • Vampire shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).
    • Pictus catfish hunts shrimp. Larger vampire shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Black ruby barb · 20+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat black ruby barbs, especially young or small ones.
  • Moonlight gourami · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–25°C).
  • Pearl danio · 20+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat pearl danios, especially young or small ones.
  • Variatus platy · 15+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat variatus platies, especially young or small ones.

Avoid Bad tank mates (62)

  • Cherry shrimp: Pictus catfish eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
  • Guppy: Pictus catfish can eat guppies: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Neon tetra: Pictus catfish can eat neon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Panda corydoras: Pictus catfish can eat panda corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Zebra danio: Pictus catfish can eat zebra danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • African dwarf frog: Pictus catfish can eat African dwarf frogs.
  • Boesemani rainbowfish: They need different temperatures: Pictus catfish 22–25°C (72–77°F), boesemani rainbowfish 26–29°C (79–84°F).
  • Cardinal tetra: Pictus catfish can eat cardinal tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Celestial pearl danio: Pictus catfish can eat celestial pearl danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Cherry barb: Pictus catfish can eat cherry barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chili rasbora: Pictus catfish can eat chili rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pictus catfish.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pictus catfish.
  • Discus: They need different temperatures: Pictus catfish 22–25°C (72–77°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
  • Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pictus catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Ember tetra: Pictus catfish can eat ember tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • German blue ram: They need different temperatures: Pictus catfish 22–25°C (72–77°F), german blue ram 27–30°C (81–86°F).
  • Glowlight tetra: Pictus catfish can eat glowlight tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Harlequin rasbora: Pictus catfish can eat harlequin rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Honey gourami: Pictus catfish can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pictus catfish.
  • Otocinclus: Pictus catfish can eat otocinclus: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Pea puffer: Pictus catfish can eat pea puffers: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pictus catfish. Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pictus catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Pygmy corydoras: Pictus catfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pictus catfish. Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pictus catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Rummy-nose tetra: Pictus catfish can eat rummy-nose tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • White cloud mountain minnow: Pictus catfish can eat white cloud mountain minnows: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • X-ray tetra: Pictus catfish can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black neon tetra: Pictus catfish can eat black neon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black phantom tetra: Pictus catfish can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bloodfin tetra: Pictus catfish can eat bloodfin tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Clown killifish: Pictus catfish can eat clown killifish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Crystal red shrimp: Pictus catfish eats small shrimp like crystal red shrimp.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pictus catfish. Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pictus catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Emperor tetra: Pictus catfish can eat emperor tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Endler's livebearer: Pictus catfish can eat Endler's livebearers: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Forktail blue-eye: Pictus catfish can eat forktail blue-eyes: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Frontosa: They need very different water: pH 6–7 vs 8–9. Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pictus catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Green terror: Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pictus catfish.
  • Head and tail light tetra: Pictus catfish can eat head and tail light tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pictus catfish.
  • Kubotai rasbora: Pictus catfish can eat kubotai rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Lambchop rasbora: Pictus catfish can eat lambchop rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Lemon tetra: Pictus catfish can eat lemon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Marbled hatchetfish: Pictus catfish can eat marbled hatchetfish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Penguin tetra: Pictus catfish can eat penguin tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Rosy loach: Pictus catfish can eat rosy loaches: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Rosy tetra: Pictus catfish can eat rosy tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Scarlet badis: Pictus catfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Serpae tetra: Pictus catfish can eat serpae tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Shell dweller cichlid: Pictus catfish can eat shell dweller cichlids: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pictus catfish don't belong in that setup.
  • Sparkling gourami: Pictus catfish can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Threadfin rainbowfish: Pictus catfish can eat threadfin rainbowfish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Zebra pleco: They need different temperatures: Pictus catfish 22–25°C (72–77°F), zebra pleco 26–30°C (79–86°F).
  • Checkerboard barb: Pictus catfish can eat checkerboard barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Dwarf rasbora: Pictus catfish can eat dwarf rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Flame tetra: Pictus catfish can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Glowlight danio: Pictus catfish can eat glowlight danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Green neon tetra: Pictus catfish can eat green neon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Least killifish: Pictus catfish can eat least killifish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Silvertip tetra: Pictus catfish can eat silvertip tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with pictus catfish?

Good tank mates for pictus catfish include nerite snail, bronze corydoras, tiger barb, assassin snail, ramshorn snail and malaysian trumpet snail. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat pictus catfish.

Can pictus catfish live with angelfish?

Sometimes, with care. Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C).

Can pictus catfish live with bettas?

Sometimes, with care. Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 24–25°C). Pictus catfish may eat bettas, especially young or small ones.

Can pictus catfish live with bristlenose plecos?

Sometimes, with care. Bristlenose pleco defends its patch of the bottom and may chase pictus catfish, which use the same area.

Can pictus catfish live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–25°C (72–77°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

How we decide: we compare each pair's comfortable temperature, pH and hardness ranges, adult sizes, mouth size (who can eat whom), fin nipping, aggression and territory. Read the full method. Data last reviewed 2026-10-13.