Big Fish In Community Tank

[Mark Z.]

I was just wondering if there were any "big" fish that were colorful or interesting that would live peacefully in a community aquarium and not eat everyone else.

I'm toying with the idea of setting up a 55-gallon aquarium with possibly tetras, angels, platies, corys, etc. Is there some kind of ciclid that would get along with them? I like the gold severums, but they look like they would eat smaller fish.

Thanks

 

[kizno1]

Angelfish are cichlids.Gold severums get to 8" so way to big for a 55g. Aslong as you dont go for small tetras like neons theres quite a few fish that will work.
Festivum cichlid
Angelfish
Red breasted acara
Dwarf flag cichlid
Apistogramma
Rams
Keyhole cichlids
checkerboard cichlids
would all work fine.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Don't under-estimate the potential size of Angelfish... In a tank with enough depth (18 inches of actaul water is regarded as requirement for unstunted growth), they can often be "taller" (~8") than they are long (~6")!

If you go with Angels, avoid any "torpedo"-shaped fish that stay <5cm, such as their natural wild prey, Neon Tetras.

 

[kevinjames]

im in the process of seting up something similar but with the smallest fish being corydoras. instead of tetras like neons why not have columbian or congos??? my main shoaling fish is going to be denisonnii barbs and maybe some columbian tetra. as for bigish fish i love my parrots, although controversial they are the ones that catch peoples attention when they see the tank.

 

[Mark Z.]

Thanks for the advice!

I was reading up on some of the suggestions, and I like the keyhole ciclids. I was thinking that I may move my congo tetras to the new tank (if I do, in fact, get another tank), but was curious if there were any ciclids that would be compatible with even smaller fish. I would also like to have a few platys for color. I like what I have read about the keyholes so far.

 

[meguro]

keyholes arent particularly colourful.

5-6 discus
2 blue rams 1m/1f
15-20 rummynose or cardinal tetras or half of each
8-12 corydoras sterbai

or have a look at rainbowfish like melanotaenia boesemani, melanotaenia splendida inornata, melanotaenia australis etc.

what are the dimensions of the tank?

 

[nurglespuss]

And just in case a list of things I wouldn't add

Silver sharks (too skittish/boistrous)
Angelfish (too unpredictable/aggressive/predatory)
Chinese sucking loach (grows big, gets aggressive)
Plecostomus (Gip, hep etc) too big, scares othe fish, and can wreck the joint
Ret tail black shark (aggressive, territorial)
Big Gouramis (kissing, opaline etc.) - varying immensly in size, but quite pugnacious
Elephant nose fish (suffers at feeding time - unless lucky and get a robust one)
knife fish (lets face it, nocturnal, eventually large predator.. bye bye community).

 

[Carlovel1]

And just in case a list of things I wouldn't add

Silver sharks (too skittish/boistrous)
Angelfish (too unpredictable/aggressive/predatory)
Chinese sucking loach (grows big, gets aggressive)
Plecostomus (Gip, hep etc) too big, scares othe fish, and can wreck the joint
Ret tail black shark (aggressive, territorial)
Big Gouramis (kissing, opaline etc.) - varying immensly in size, but quite pugnacious
Elephant nose fish (suffers at feeding time - unless lucky and get a robust one)
knife fish (lets face it, nocturnal, eventually large predator.. bye bye community).

Clown Loach (too big)
Silver Dollar (too big)

 

[AmazonFTW]

Big Cichlids:

Cryptoheros Cutteri - Awesome fish. Mine live peacefully with my Silvertip Tetras, Corydoras Julii, Bristlenose, Emperor Tetras, Angelfish and Marbled Hatchets. They're an amazing species, amazing to watch - give them some oak leaves and they'll use them as dinner plates.

Angelfish - Not with Neons but if you get them when they are small they will grow up with fish the size of Silvertips no trouble. Just remember some tetras are nippers, and a lot of barbs so try to get a species that doesn't nip OR get enough of them to keep themselves ammused in the group.

Rainbow Cichlid - Agressive. No go if kept in a male-female pair, very territorial.

Severums - BIG and will be like 'YUM!! TETRAS!!'.

Uaru - Waaaaaayy too big.

Rift Lake - Agressive, species tank only.

Keyholes - Not much experience but think they're peacful.

That's the main 'big' cichlid you'll probably consider (Other that the Cutteri - I just love mine so I added them in as a good one)

Small Cichlids:

Apistogramma sp. - Soft and Acidic water almost essential but an easy to look after fish other than that.

Kribs - Not much experience but I think they're peaceful.

Erm... Not many other ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Try http/tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/ it's great for finding out compatibility ext. with more commonly - and some less common - species of fish.

Good Luck,
AmazonFTW

 

[Mark Z.]

Not exactly sure of the tank dimensions. I think about 4 feet by 1 foot by 2 feet tall. I have to dig it out of storage.

I've always loved discus, and they were my first choice, but I think I will have to rule them out. It sounds like they are too sensitive and I'd be afraid I would wind up not changing the water every day. They are so beautiful, though. Also, I think I would have to buy a group of them to begin with, correct? And that would be very expensive.

 

[Mark Z.]

Thanks, Amazon!

I Googled the Cryptoheros Cutteri, and that is a nice fish, too! I like the blueish tints to it. I have some researching to do now! If I set up another tank, it won't be until after Chrismtas at the earliest.

I have angels now in a tank with neons and other tetras. I always buy the angels small and let them grow into the tank and they seem to leave the neons alone.

Also thinking about rams.

 

[AmazonFTW]

Thanks, Amazon!

I Googled the Cryptoheros Cutteri, and that is a nice fish, too! I like the blueish tints to it. I have some researching to do now! If I set up another tank, it won't be until after Chrismtas at the earliest.

I have angels now in a tank with neons and other tetras. I always buy the angels small and let them grow into the tank and they seem to leave the neons alone.

Also thinking about rams.

Duh, stupid me, forgetting rams *slaps self*. Try Bolivian Rams maybe? Slightly less colourful and slightly larger although a lot more tolerent of water conditions.

AmazonFTW

 

[Mark Z.]

I was thinking of rams all along, but then I wondered if there was something even bigger! I just think it would be cool if there were a couple big fish in the normal community-type smaller fish aquarium. But not so big as to eat everyone!

I will be looking into rams, festivums, keyhole ciclids or the Cryptoheros Cutteri, I think. Maybe have Congo tetras, Colombian tetras, platys and/or swordtails as tankmates.

We'll see in a few months. Thanks for the help!