Cichlid Community Help

[fishprotector]

Hi. We are currently creating a new world cichlid community tank. It is a 130l tank which is 3 foot long. It has a sand substrate wieh rocks and bogwood. We currently has a male blue Acara and four Corydoras. We were thinking of getting a female Convict and an Ellioti. Is it best to get all male or a male female mixture? How important is the male female ratio when keeping one of each species? Also if you can recommend any more suitable species instead of the above please comment. Oh and we dont mind moving the Corydoras to another tank if needs be.

 

[england]

Have a look at keyhole cichlid, it more peaceful than convicts,

 

[Monty-2010]

i'd give the convict a miss and go for something like a rainbow cichlid very peaceful and very pretty

 

[Verminator89]

Bearing in mind this is a 130L tank also, and Blue Acara can get to 20cm in length. I've seen some big specimens in Sweet Knowle Aquatics, albeit beautifull fish, in a 130L your pushjing it for space. Have a look at smaller, dwarf cichlids for a new world community in this size tank perhaps...

 

[twodoctors]

Have to agree with James. Blue acara has relatively big mouth may eat smaller tankmates. My limited experience tells me that once the cichlid settles in a corner it will defend it and be aggressive to other fishes entering its territory. My tank is 3 1/2 foot, and is boundary is about 1/2 the tank. It may be that it will only take 1/2 of any tank, or it may be he needs 1.75 ft. I don't know. Having a female acara might cause problem when they decide to breed. Having another type of cichlid you may have to deal with aggression issue. 130L tank really isn't that big so I personally won't get another cichlid. Maybe some schooling fishes instead, but make sure they are big enough not to be swallowed by the acara.

Adrian

 

[tenohfive]

That's a very small tank for an Acara. To give you some context I kept one in a 180L tank and it took around 70-80% of that tank as it's territory. Personally I'd rehome the Acara and try a couple of pairs of dwarf cichlids instead, or a Rainbow Cichlid with a pair of GBR's.

Oh, and increase the cory numbers to 6 - they should be kept in groups of 6 as a minimum really.