Can Common Pleco live with Discus?
Caution — with care
Why
- Almost no shared temperature: Common Pleco wants 72–82°F and Discus wants 82–88°F, so only 82°F suits both — too fine a margin to actually hold.
- Large size gap (Common Pleco 24" vs Discus 8") — watch that the smaller one gets its share at feeding time.
Sweet spot: both do well at 82–82°F and pH 6–7 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Common Pleco | Discus | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 72–82°F | 82–88°F |
| pH | 6–8 | 5.5–7 |
| Hardness (GH) | 5–20 dGH | 1–8 dGH |
| Adult size | 24" | 8" |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 150 gal | 55 gal |
Together, plan on at least 150 gallons.
How to make it work
- Target the overlapping water-parameter range and acclimate slowly.
Sort it with: An adjustable heater
Design the whole tank, not just the stocking
Skapelab plans a complete, buildable planted aquarium around your fish — a hand-illustrated layout, the exact plants and hardscape, a placement map, and a full equipment and shopping list. Free.
Design a tank with Common Pleco, Discus →Everything compatible with Common Pleco · …with Discus