Can African Butterfly Cichlid and Redtail Splitfin Live Together?

African Butterfly Cichlid is a generally mild-mannered species (3/10), while Redtail Splitfin is moderately assertive (6/10). This modest difference means Redtail Splitfin may occasionally assert dominance over African Butterfly Cichlid.

African Butterfly Cichlid and Redtail Splitfin both frequent the Middle (Open Water) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

To improve the chances of a peaceful coexistence in this community tank: Provide a significantly larger tank (at least 50% more volume than the minimum) to allow both African Butterfly Cichlid and Redtail Splitfin to establish separate territories. Add plenty of line-of-sight breaks using driftwood, rocks, and dense planting to reduce territorial confrontations. Keep fin nippers in larger groups to distribute nipping behaviour among conspecifics rather than tank mates.

The safe temperature window for both species falls between 23°C and 26°C. Aim for the midpoint of this range (around 24.5°C) for optimal comfort.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 7 and 7.5. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 10–15 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house African Butterfly Cichlid and Redtail Splitfin together, plan for an aquarium of at least 110 litres with a minimum length of 80 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Because this pairing requires extra vigilance, include plenty of hiding spots — caves, driftwood, and dense plant clusters — so the less dominant fish can retreat when needed.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Sand (Sifters), Smooth Gravel (Sensitive Barbels), Plants - Densely covered, Driftwood (Digestion/Hiding), Established Algae (Otocinclus). Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Note a potential conflict in setup requirements: Redtail Splitfin is a plant destroyer, which conflicts with African Butterfly Cichlid's requirement for live plants. Compromise where possible or prioritise the more critical need.

Both species do well with moderate (standard) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.

This pairing usually fails when the tank is treated like a standard mixed community and the caution flags are ignored. African Butterfly Cichlid and Redtail Splitfin need extra room, more cover, and closer observation during the first few weeks so small aggression, feeding, or territory issues do not snowball into a long-term problem.