40 Breeder Stocking

[Bebobb]

I'm looking for a relatively simple aquarium stocking. I have a 48"Lx16"Hx18"D. I have about 500 GPH of filtration. I would like to have about 4 fish that are 5" long, but I'm not good with stocking. Here are the cichlids I have been thinking about, and my opinion:

1. Apistogramma. I like these fish, but I would like something bigger. If they could be stocked with larger ones, then that would be great.

2. Firemouths. I like these fish. But I would be concerned about their temperament and tank mates.

3. Keyholes. I also like these fish. But I think that they might be too shy for my tank. I'm not going to have much plant material besides a few plastic plants. But there will also be rocks(larger ones) and drift wood.

4. Kribs. I would love to have these fish, but I would definitely be concerned about their temperament.

5. Angelfish. I currently have 2 of them in my tank, but they will be donated to my LFS unless other larger fish could go with them.

That's all I could think of off the top of my head. I plan to have a school of dither fish so could you please include that in your stocking list? Thank you.

 

[kaivalagi]

What's in there already? I assume you want American not African cichlids?

5" max (or there abouts) American cichlids off the top of my head:

• Convict
• Honduran Red Point
• Cutteri cichlid
• Cupid Cichlid
• Heller's Cichlid
• T-bar cichlid

 

[Bebobb]

At the moment, I have two angelfish, and 6 neons. I plan on moving the neons to another tank, and donating the angelfish to my LFS. I'm looking into some Thorichthys. Could I have a pair of Meeki and say a pair of another fish?

 

[kizno1]

meekis get extremely aggressive especially if you have a pair and they breed So no i dont think you would be able to have another pair of cichlids with them. Thorichthys ellioti would be better if you want a few other fish with them. I would go for a pair of t bar cichlids, a smaller type of plec like BN and a shoal of rainbowfish

 

[Bebobb]

Do Ellioti get as aggressive as Meeki during breeding?

 

[kizno1]

I think they can still be quite aggressive but not as bad as firemouths.

 

[Bebobb]

I just did some quick research, and I don't think that any of the Thorichthys is semi-peaceful.

 

[kizno1]

None of them are peaceful but elliotis are one of the most peaceful. If you wan a big fairly calm cichlid i would got for a T Bar cichlid.

 

[Bebobb]

The T bar cichlids don't appeal to me. I'm looking more into ellioti at this moment. Would a single ellioti be less agressive than a pair? Or would that depend on the sex?

 

[kizno1]

A single one might be best i you dont want to much aggression but they will still be territorial to other cichlids.

 

[Bebobb]

Will they eat neons or disturb apistogramma?

 

[kizno1]

I think the apisto will get bullied and there it a chance the neons will get eating when the ellioti is fully grown.

 

[Littlemonkey]

I have eliotti, they are great untill they spawn, I have just had to move a spawning pair because of the bullying. If you don't want to breed them, all females would be fine. Kribs and rams are the same.

 

[kaivalagi]

Any cichlid when breeding will be aggressive....

If you want variety then I suggest you get one of each species...and play close attention to mixing the sex of CA cichlids, they can cross breed (e.g. firemouth and convict has been known). SA cichlids don't cross breed as far as I am aware though.

And neons with any of those cichlids I listed will probably get eaten, they may be saved if you get very small cichlids and grow them up in the tank with the community fish, but no guarantees...

If you want to breed them then keep it simple, if I was wanting to breed something in that size tank I would be tempted with a pair of Blue Acara....get to a decent size (8") and are very good parent from what I have read. You could keep dithers which get quite big (colombian/emperor tetra?) and a couple of Bristlenoses but IMHO it would only work if the tank has lots of hiding spots and if the Acara was living with these other fish from a small size...