Stocking a community aquarium

[mimifish]

I am starting a 75 gallon tank and currently doing the fishless cycling (thanks SMB & Alien Anna for helpful advice). I am currently in the process of deciding what type of fish to stock. I would ideally like to have a community aquarium with some guppies, neon tetras, corys, swordtails, etc. I also would like to add some cichlids but have read that they are aggressive & territorial. Would this be possible if the aquarium is well planted, & has some caves/hiding places? If I exercised some caution such as purchasing cichlids as juveniles along with a lot of the other fish so that it is more tolerant of the others as opposed to adding in small groups after the 1st fish have established theri territories. Another precaution is to try to be sure that the cichlids have not been fed feeder fish.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dman]

Cichlids with tropical fish..... now that is crazy.... no matter what age the cichlids are ur tropical fish will eventually end up dead, unless its a pleco.


NEVER keep cichlids with anything else but other african fish.



Damien

 

[AquaNut]

Well, there are South American cichlids, too, but I wouldn't keep any of them in a community tank, aside from angelfish. I wouldn't keep angelfish with neons and guppies, though. If you skipped the guppies and had cardinals instead of neons, there are lots of large, beautiful fish you could keep in a tank that size. Angelfish, gouramis, and silver dollars are all beautiful, large specimens. You could also keep a shoal of clown loaches; they're absolutely fantastic fish.

 

[aquamanis]

Hi Mimifish, if you plan to have a planted tank you can,t have Cichlids. Also Cichlids and asian tropicals need different water conditions.

 

[Alia]

What are your pH and hardness values? What kind of cichlids were you thinking of adding?

It sounds like you like the looks of a group of fishes that are relatively incompatible, both in terms of behaviour and water chemistry. Maybe you could decide which fishes are your favorites and then start from there in finding out what other fishes would make good tankmates for them?

I'm pretty certain that no one will recommend "Africans" (a large and diverse group) for a community tank, but Rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirez), which are a much less aggressive and smaller cichlid, or Kribs (pelvicachromis pulcher), which are somewhat less aggressive, but still territorial, are often mentioned as potential community fish. I've never heard of anyone putting Kribs and neons together, however. Maybe with the rams -- I think they both like soft water with lower to neutral pH.

In another thread, Aulonocara baenschi was mentioned as a milder mannered cichlid. I don't know anything about this fish, but if you do a search on google, I'm sure you'll find something.

Since you have a good sized tank there, you might consider another variety of Krib that is larger -- and also likes those softer, lower pH values. Here is a link: Giant Krib

Still, I think you've got some research to do before you start buying fish. I myself would not mix livebearers up with cory cats, because I would salt a livebearer tank somewhat and I wouldn't salt a cory's tank, or a cichlid tank either. There will be people who disagree with this. It's just my own opinion. I wouldn't put cory cats in with kribs, either -- I would get a synodontis, like the upside-down catfish instead. Cichlids shouldn't bother the synodontis.

Nor would I have neons in a new tank, particularly if I had anything less than their ideal parameters (i. e., soft water, etc.). If I had my heart set on that type of fish, I would try to find cardinals instead, which are both larger and hardier, and I think prettier, too. But I still don't think I'd put them with cichlids. Maybe a big school in a tank that size would be ok with lots of plants. Maybe not. I have no idea.

I'm sure you'll get a bunch more opinions on this. Take it slow and you'll figure out something that will work for you. Good luck!

Alia

 

[thebulk]

I wouldnt add Cichlids with guppies etc, unlike angel fish where there is a slight chance that buying them young they will become tolerant of the smaller breeds it doesnt work with cichlids

Angelfish are aggressive to smaller fish because they see them as a source of food, whereas cichlids are just teritorial, Even if you had plenty of hiding places no fish can live very long if it is forever hiding.

Not a good match!

Goodluck with the new tank

B)

 

[Alien Anna]

Cichlids with tropical fish..... now that is crazy.... no matter what age the cichlids are ur tropical fish will eventually end up dead, unless its a pleco.


NEVER keep cichlids with anything else but other african fish.

I think maybe you've misunderstood something along the way. Not all cichlids come from Africa, and not all cichlids are aggressive. Common cichlids kept with other fish include kribs and angelfish. However, you need a deep tank for angelfish.