Can Royal Farlowella Catfish and Uaru Live Together?

Royal Farlowella Catfish is a peaceful species (1/10), while Uaru is generally mild-mannered (4/10). This modest difference means Uaru may occasionally assert dominance over Royal Farlowella Catfish.

Royal Farlowella Catfish and Uaru both frequent the Middle (Open Water) and Bottom (Substrate) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

Worth noting: Royal Farlowella Catfish is nocturnal and will be most active after lights-out, naturally reducing daytime encounters.

The safe temperature window for both species falls between 27°C and 28°C. Aim for the midpoint of this range (around 27.5°C) for optimal comfort.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 6.5 and 7. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 4–8 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house Royal Farlowella Catfish and Uaru together, plan for an aquarium of at least 400 litres with a minimum length of 150 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: Driftwood (Digestion/Hiding), Established Algae (Otocinclus), Plants - Densely covered, Sand (Sifters). Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Note a potential conflict in setup requirements: Uaru is a plant destroyer, which conflicts with Royal Farlowella Catfish'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. Royal Farlowella Catfish and Uaru 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.