15 Best Bumblebee Cichlid Tank Mates – FishLab

Hoping to find a friend for your Bumblebee cichlid? It won’t be easy with this fish’s prickly personality, but we’ve got you covered with our list of the 15 Best Bumblebee Cichlid Tank Mates!

The 15 Best Bumblebee Cichlid Tank Mates are freshwater fish that need the same warmer waters as the Bumblebee cichlid. They should also not have conflicting temperaments, such as the peaceful nature of the Bristlenose Pleco or confidence of the Flower Horn Cichlid.

In this article we’ll present you with our top picks for tank mates for the bumblebee cichlid. By the conclusion, you’ll know everything you need to know to pick one out! Let’s get started. 

Bumblebee Cichlid Tank Mates – What You Need to Know

Below is everything you should definitely know about a bumblebee cichlid and it’s potential tank mate needs.

Temperament

Cichlids are notorious for their fierce tempers and aggressive attitudes (with some exceptions.) The Bumblebee cichlid certainly resembles this. This fish is territorial and aggressive. It should have tank mates that are either large enough to discourage the bumblebee cichlid from bullying, or occupy a different zone of the tank, or are aggressive enough to fend it off. 

Size

A bumblebee cichlid is a big fish. Those without a large tank capable of caring for this fish should pick out a different pet! As far as tank mates go, fish that are significantly smaller than 6 inches long should not be considered.

Competition

 The bumblebee cichlid, being territorial, will act out aggressively toward any fish that eats too similar a diet to it. If the other fish is not able to defend itself or stand up to the cichlid, it will forfeit its food and go hungry. 

Pick out fish that don’t need to eat as much protein for the safest results.

Parameters ; Tank Setup

 The bumblebee cichlid must have tank temperatures of 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit if it is going to live a long and happy life. This fish is also a tropical freshwater fish. Provide plenty of plants and obstacles, and pick out tank mates that need the same things!

15 Best Bumblebee Cichlid Tank Mates

1. Bristlenose Pleco
2. White Tail Aceis
3. Electric Yellow Lab
4. Golden Mbuna
5. Chipokae Cichlid
6. Lemon Cichlid
7. Fairy Cichlid
8. Maingano Cichlid
9. Cherry Shrimp
10. Bala Shark
11. Silver Dollar Fish
12. Zebra Pleco
13. Peacock Cichlid
14. Flower Horn CIchlid
15. Butterfly Pleco

Let’s look at each of our bumblebee cichlid neighbors’ potential in more detail!

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1. Bristlenose Pleco

• Scientific Name: Ancistrus cirrhosus
• Adult Size: 5 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Easy
• Origin: Amazon

Beloved by all for his ability to clean up the bottom of the tank is the bristlenose pleco! This fish not only occupies the bottom of the tank and keeps to himself, but the Bumblebee cichlid will think twice before messing with a fish as large as the bristlenose pleco. 

This fish is a tame brown with black spots. It’s most intimidating feature are it’s face full of bristles!

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• No aggression
• Cleans up tank
• No food competition
• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• None!

2. White Tail Aceis

• Scientific Name: Pseudotropheus acei
• Adult Size: 7 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: African Lake Malawi

Because this cichlid’s native habitat in the wild was close to the bumblebee cichlid, it is capable of being a good tank mate in captivity. The white tail aceis, or White Tail Acei cichlid, is a beautiful blue and black with a white tail befitting it’s name. 

Just make sure there are plent of obstacles in the tank to reduce infighting, and there are plenty of other members of the white tail’s species to keep it company!

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Some food competition

3. Electric Yellow Lab

• Scientific Name: Labidochromis caeruleus
• Adult Size: 4 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Africa

Another cichlid that originated near the bumblebee cichlid, this one is similarly capable of holding its own despite its smaller size. 

This fish is bold, but fun to watch drift along the bottom of the aquarium and digging. It is a bright lemon color all over that almost seems to glow in the dark!

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Some food competition

4. Golden Mbuna

• Scientific Name: Melanochromis auratus
• Adult Size: 4 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: African Lake Malawi

The golden Mbuna also comes from the Bumblebee Cichlid’s hometown, making it uniquely suited to deal with the Bumblebee Cichlid’s bad attitude!

It is lovely, ranging in plain color to a beautiful gold with striped patterns. Make sure this fish has plenty of room so that each can have its own territory.

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Some food competition

5. Chipokae Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Melanochromis chipokae
• Adult Size: 4 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: African Lake Malawi

Yet another of the fish from the Bumblebee Cichlid’s same neighborhood, the Chipokae Cichlid is no stranger to the Bumblebee Cichlid’s bullying habits. As long as there are plenty of places to hide and break eye contact, the chipokae cichlid makes a good tank mate. 

It is slender and yellow in color, with a flat head. It also sports black stripes. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• None!

6. Lemon Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Neolamprologus leleupi
• Adult Size: 4 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Lake Tanganyika, Africa

This fish is very different in shape and appearance than most other cichlids. It is slim, yellow, with long front and back fins and a bright eye. 

The lemon cichlid is another of the cichlid family that originated from the same neck of the woods as the Bumblebee Cichlid, and therefore it can hold it’s own as a tank mate. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Some food competition!

7. Fairy Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Neolamprologus brichardi
• Adult Size: 3 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Africa

This fish is one of the more peaceful members of the Cichlid family. It’s name is reflected by its beauty, being a dull lavender color with electric aquamarine coloring and long fins. 

This fish needs plenty of space and obstacles to keep the peace with a bumblebee cichlid, though, so make sure to provide lots of plants in a large tank. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Some chance of aggression

8. Maingano Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos
• Adult Size: 4 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Lake Malwi, Africa

This fish also belongs in the same area of the wild as the Bumblebee Cichlid. The Maingano Cichlid is worth having in a tank just for its startlingly deep blue color. Unlike other cichlids, it is largely flat and sleek in shape. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Some food competition!

9. Cherry Shrimp

• Scientific Name: Neocaridina davidi
• Adult Size: 1 inch
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Taiwan

Let’s have shrimp to stir up the fishiness of this list! Cherry shrimp do make good tank mates for the Bumblebee cichlid due to their adaptability to most water temperatures and small size. 

Because cherry shrimp hide among plants, as long as you have plenty of these, the red little fellows can avoid being eaten. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• No aggression

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Some risk of being eaten

10. Bala Shark

• Scientific Name: Balantiocheilos melanopterus
• Adult Size: 13 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Malaysia

The most important thing to note about the bala shark is that while it can be peaceful as an adolescent, it will not hesitate to get into fights with your cichlid once its size surpasses the cichlids. 

If you’re committed to having just an adolescent, though, this same size will keep the bala shark from being bullied. It is generally peaceful, too. They have silver bodies with far-back fins edged in black. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• No food competition
• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• May start fights as it exceeds 8 inches.

11. Silver Dollar Fish

• Scientific Name: Metynnis argenteus
• Adult Size: 6 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Guyana, Brazil

Silver Dollar Fish are gentle giants among tank mates. They are big, round, and silver, like swimming versions of the coin they’re named after!

Silver Dollar fish are a commitment, though, because they like to swim in schools and tend to be pretty large for an aquarium. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Needs large tank

12. Zebra Pleco

• Scientific Name: Hypancistrus zebra 
• Adult Size: 4
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Brazil

This fish is generally pretty rare to find in the wild and expensive to own, but it makes a good tank mate for the aggressive Bumblebee Cichlid. This is because it keeps to itself on the bottom of the tank. 

Its coloration is also different from the bumblebee cichlids, with a pleasing black-and-white color scheme and soft, round head shape.

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• No food competition
• No aggression

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• None!

13. Peacock Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Aulonocara
• Adult Size: 5 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa

The peacock cichlid is gloriously colored like a firework. It is a type of African Cichlid, also native to where the Bumblebee Cichlid is from and ready to handle whatever the other cichlid dishes out. 

Peacock cichlids come in a variety of colors, but one of the most visually common is the red cichlid with a rusty color capped by a royal blue face. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Some aggression possible

14. Flower Horn Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Amphilophus hybrid
• Adult Size: 12 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: Man-made

The FlowerHorn Cichlid’s claim to the title of tank mate to a Bumblebee Cichlid comes from the fact that it simply gets too big to be bullied. Flower Horn Cichlids can, however, grow to an alarming size past 10 inches, when they may need to be moved to a tank of their own due to aggression issues. 

Until then, however, their funny bulbous heads and bright paradise coloration will add something unique to your bumblebee cichlid tank. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• Too big to be bullied

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• Some chance of aggression
• Needs Large tank

15. Butterfly Pleco

• Scientific Name: Ancistrus brachyurus
• Adult Size: 6 inches
• Compatible With: Bumblebee Cichlid
• Care Level: Medium Difficulty
• Origin: South America

Last but not least, a butterfly pleco is a small pleco that still manages to reach the same size as the Bumblebee Cichlid, so it won’t be bothered too much by the bully. Besides, these plecos tend to eat only veggies and stay near the bottom of the tank. 

Butterfly pleco bear some resemblance to the zebra pleco, but one interesting fact is that they can actually camouflage and change color! Try not to use dark substrate if you hope to keep an eye on it. 

Pros of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid:

• No aggression
• Too big to be bullied
• Different Tank Level

Cons of keeping with Bumblebee Cichlid :

• None!

In Conclusion

To sum it all up, the 15 Best Bumblebee Cichlid Tank Mates are fish that can stand up to this territorial bully! This may look like fish of a similar size and intimidation skill, or fish that occupy a different zone of the tank. These can include other cichlids like the Flower Horn Cichlid or plecos like the Bristlenose pleco. Select one of these and enjoy a lively tank!