Compatible Nice Looking Fish For A 6 Foot Fresh Water?

[lukyjay]

Hey,
 
Recently purchased a 6 foot aquarium which I'm cleaning and waiting for parts from ebay for my filter. Once it's up and running, I would like to add a few cute and colourful fish. Something that will keep the girlfriend happy, and entertain my nephews and nieces.
 
Are these going to be compatible, or will I come back to a blood bath?
 
Clown loach (to eat snails from the plants)
Marble Peacock Cichlid (LFS has some pale, almost albino but aqua blue ones that look cool)
Acei Itungi (Same as above, they're quite pale)
Electric yellows (these are going to be very small, about 2cm - 3cm long)
Bristlenose Catfish (probably going to use the two I have, or maybe buy some rare baby leopard ones from my friend)
 
I believe they should all be okay, but I'm not sure how much of each would be appropriate? I would love them to be comfortable.
 
I'll aim to have mostly rock and driftwood, just a touch of live plant but not sure which type yet.
 
As a side note, I have a 3 foot which will house my 32443534 guppies, 2 bristlenose catfish and I'm going to pick up some mollies today.
 
I really appreciate any input you guys may have. I'm trying my best to ensure this set up goes well and that I don't run in to any issues.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Hi lukyjay,
 
That's honestly not the best configuration of fish, sorry.  First, clowns prefer soft water and to be in groups - and they grow very very large.  They would work in the 6 foot tank, but a group of them would pretty much be the bioload for that sized tank.  Added, if the reason you want them is to deal with snails, there are quite a few other options that are far less restricting in your stocking options. More to follow...
 
 
Bristlenose plecos are also best in softer water conditions.  
 
 
In contrast to that, the peacock, acei, and lab cichlids are all from the African Rift Valley and prefer much harder conditions, and are far more aggressive than the other fish listed above. 
 
 
So, that means that you have some fish at different ends of the water parameter requirements and the temperament.  It is always best to have them matched up as best as you can.  Similar water conditions and similar temperament...
 
 
So, looking at what you claim as your goals for the tank:
 

Hey,
 
Recently purchased a 6 foot aquarium which I'm cleaning and waiting for parts from ebay for my filter. Once it's up and running, I would like to add a few cute and colourful fish. Something that will keep the girlfriend happy, and entertain my nephews and nieces.
 
 
 I would love them to be comfortable.
 
I'll aim to have mostly rock and driftwood, just a touch of live plant but not sure which type yet.

 
Highlighting the bolded - here's the equation:
 
Cute and colorful + Entertaining + Comfortable + Rock + touch of plants = AFRICAN CICHLIDS
 
 
 
How so?
 
African cichlids are probably the most colorful of all the freshwater species - and you've already highlighted 3 species you are interested in having.  (Colorful - check)
 
Entertaining - These cichlids really need to be 'overstocked' to a certain extent to deal with their aggressive nature towards one another.  Unlike many other scenarios, having MORE is usually better - but remember to stock them according to their ADULT size.  (Also, this will require doing a fishless cycle as its best to get all the fish at once and stocking fully from the beginning so that no fish has a 'territorial claim' before the others arrive.)
 
Comfortable - These fish all prefer the exact same water parameters and are found in the same area geographically.  If you want to do a bit more research, focus on getting species from only one of the lakes - Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria, or Lake Tanganyika.  I'd go Malawi, personally.

 
Rock - These fish need rock formations in the tank for shelter, territorial boundaries, etc.  They dart in and out around and through.  They are highly active - partly because they are always challenging another fish, or being challenged, but they are highly active, and rock is their habitat of choice... well, maybe not by choice, but that's their natural habitat.
 
 
A touch of plants - this is the part that is trickiest, as generally these cichlids, like most others will tear apart plants and not allow them to grow.  They unroot plants in the substrate, and nibble on the leaves of others... BUT, there's good news - generally, they leave Anubias alone!  Anubias is an African plant (surprise!) that most fish won't eat.  These are not planted in the substrate, but instead are attached to rocks, driftwood, etc. being sure to keep their rhizome in the water column.  Getting a few of these would potentially help you with your 'touch of plant' requirement.  They require basically NOTHING to be happy from a needs standpoint, beyond keeping the rhizome out of the water - and they are virtually maintenance free - slow growers, and the leaves rarely brown or die.  
 
 
 
 
Now, with this, snails are essentially eliminated.  BUT, if you are still worried about snails coming in on plants... there are other options.  A 'pre-dip' can be used effectively:  http/blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatfishblog/2011/07/20/dipping-plants-to-eliminate-snails/
 
Another option to deal with snails that might hitchhike would be 'assassin snails'.  Fighting fire with fire.  The Assassins have a cool look to them, and will never bother a plant - they are carnivorous.  And again, watching the spectacle of an assassin chasing down a hitchhiker snail is quite entertaining for the young ones.

 Assassin snails are actually in the 'whelk' family, and so have more ornate looking shells than the pest snails.  Assassins will breed if you get more than one, but they are actually marketable, unlike pest snails - and they don't breed at nearly the rate of the pest snails either.
 
 
There are also smaller loach species that can also deal with the tiny little pest snails... for comparison clown loaches (can grow up to 16 inches)

• yoyo loach (~6 inches)
• polka dot loach (~6 inches)
• zebra loach (~4 inches)
• dwarf chain loach (~2.5 inches)

 
Hope this helps.  

 

[lukyjay]

Thank you very much for your informative reply. My LFS told me a clown loach and yoyo loach was the same thing. They said a yoyo loach is just the american name for it.
 
I'll definitely do a bit more research in to this now! Thanks

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yoyo loach http/www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-almorhae/
clown loach http/www.loaches.com/species-index/clown-loach-chromobotia-macracanthus

There's a good lesson... Never trust your LFS to give you proper advice, always double check with your own research.

 

[lukyjay]

Thanks again for your assistance.
 
I read that African Cichlids are a bit territorial too.
 
Would this combination not work?
 
Marble Peacock Cichlid
Electric Yellow
Yoyo Loach
 
I'm very excited to buy these fish soon.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I wouldn't mix African cichlids with loaches... very different water needs, and very different temperaments.  

 

[lukyjay]

Oh I see. I was just hoping to get something that would feel around like a pleco or loach.
 
If no loach, and no pleco, what would you suggest? I'm guessing you'll say http/www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=239

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I can't help you with that... BUT...
 
cichlids are notorious for sifting through the substrate, so I'm not sure that a 'bottom' feeder like that is truly necessary.  
 
 
In a 6 foot aquarium, you could have quite a nice group of the Malawi cichlids, and you won't need to worry about the bottom dwellers.

 

[ricbea]

Hi lukyjay,
 
That's honestly not the best configuration of fish, sorry.  First, clowns prefer soft water and to be in groups - and they grow very very large.  They would work in the 6 foot tank, but a group of them would pretty much be the bioload for that sized tank.  Added, if the reason you want them is to deal with snails, there are quite a few other options that are far less restricting in your stocking options. More to follow...
 
 
Bristlenose plecos are also best in softer water conditions.  
 
 
In contrast to that, the peacock, acei, and lab cichlids are all from the African Rift Valley and prefer much harder conditions, and are far more aggressive than the other fish listed above. 
 
 
So, that means that you have some fish at different ends of the water parameter requirements and the temperament.  It is always best to have them matched up as best as you can.  Similar water conditions and similar temperament...
 
 
So, looking at what you claim as your goals for the tank:
 

Hey,
 
Recently purchased a 6 foot aquarium which I'm cleaning and waiting for parts from ebay for my filter. Once it's up and running, I would like to add a few cute and colourful fish. Something that will keep the girlfriend happy, and entertain my nephews and nieces.
 
 
 I would love them to be comfortable.
 
I'll aim to have mostly rock and driftwood, just a touch of live plant but not sure which type yet.

 
Highlighting the bolded - here's the equation:
 
Cute and colorful + Entertaining + Comfortable + Rock + touch of plants = AFRICAN CICHLIDS
 
 
 
How so?
 
African cichlids are probably the most colorful of all the freshwater species - and you've already highlighted 3 species you are interested in having.  (Colorful - check)
 
Entertaining - These cichlids really need to be 'overstocked' to a certain extent to deal with their aggressive nature towards one another.  Unlike many other scenarios, having MORE is usually better - but remember to stock them according to their ADULT size.  (Also, this will require doing a fishless cycle as its best to get all the fish at once and stocking fully from the beginning so that no fish has a 'territorial claim' before the others arrive.)
 
Comfortable - These fish all prefer the exact same water parameters and are found in the same area geographically.  If you want to do a bit more research, focus on getting species from only one of the lakes - Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria, or Lake Tanganyika.  I'd go Malawi, personally.

 
Rock - These fish need rock formations in the tank for shelter, territorial boundaries, etc.  They dart in and out around and through.  They are highly active - partly because they are always challenging another fish, or being challenged, but they are highly active, and rock is their habitat of choice... well, maybe not by choice, but that's their natural habitat.
 
 
A touch of plants - this is the part that is trickiest, as generally these cichlids, like most others will tear apart plants and not allow them to grow.  They unroot plants in the substrate, and nibble on the leaves of others... BUT, there's good news - generally, they leave Anubias alone!  Anubias is an African plant (surprise!) that most fish won't eat.  These are not planted in the substrate, but instead are attached to rocks, driftwood, etc. being sure to keep their rhizome in the water column.  Getting a few of these would potentially help you with your 'touch of plant' requirement.  They require basically NOTHING to be happy from a needs standpoint, beyond keeping the rhizome out of the water - and they are virtually maintenance free - slow growers, and the leaves rarely brown or die.  
 
 
 
 
Now, with this, snails are essentially eliminated.  BUT, if you are still worried about snails coming in on plants... there are other options.  A 'pre-dip' can be used effectively:  http/blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatfishblog/2011/07/20/dipping-plants-to-eliminate-snails/
 
Another option to deal with snails that might hitchhike would be 'assassin snails'.  Fighting fire with fire.  The Assassins have a cool look to them, and will never bother a plant - they are carnivorous.  And again, watching the spectacle of an assassin chasing down a hitchhiker snail is quite entertaining for the young ones.

 Assassin snails are actually in the 'whelk' family, and so have more ornate looking shells than the pest snails.  Assassins will breed if you get more than one, but they are actually marketable, unlike pest snails - and they don't breed at nearly the rate of the pest snails either.
 
 
There are also smaller loach species that can also deal with the tiny little pest snails... for comparison clown loaches (can grow up to 16 inches)

• yoyo loach (~6 inches)
• polka dot loach (~6 inches)
• zebra loach (~4 inches)
• dwarf chain loach (~2.5 inches)

 
Hope this helps.  

 

that was possibly one of the best answers i have ever read. Answered many more of my questions at the same time