Dwarf Cichlids..rams..can I Add ?

[Faythee]

I have taken an interest in the rams, German Blue, Bolivian, Festivum, etc.

Any special requirements ? I have not kept cichlids before. Can I mix them together ? Do better in pairs or groups ?

temp 78F, ph 6.8-7.0, 75 gallon tank. I add 1 tblsp. salt per 10G

Currently housing: 8 danios, 3 tinfoil barbs, 1 opaline gourami, 1 pictus catfish

I may be donating the danios back to the fish store. The barbs are about 3"-4" each and I plan on keeping them as long as they stay under 7"

My gourami can be a bit aggressive. However he usually will chase for a few hours after adding new fish then retreats back to his spot.

 

[Davo86]

Hey Faythee,

Firstly i should say that your tinfoils have the potential to grow to around 13"

I think personally that with your current tankmates i would be inclined to go for slightly larger cichlids than the Rams, A group may well be ok in your tank but I don't think that they would really fit in with your much larger tinfoils that would be zipping up and down the tank.

Festivums should be ok and i would go with 2 or 3 of ths species
If it was my tank i would also probably add a single Blue Acara,

 

[Faythee]

After researching and looking at pics I think my tinfoils are "red tail" and only get up 7", or so I am hoping. Their dorsal fins are not red.

I checked out the Blue Acara and seems just perfect ! I am thinking I need to stay between 4 & 7 inches with all my fish. Are they hard to find ?

Thanks so much Davo !

 

[Davo86]

After researching and looking at pics I think my tinfoils are "red tail" and only get up 7", or so I am hoping. Their dorsal fins are not red.

I checked out the Blue Acara and seems just perfect ! I am thinking I need to stay between 4 & 7 inches with all my fish. Are they hard to find ?

Thanks so much Davo !

Blue acaras should be fairly easy to find, i would expect most medium sized aquatics stores will sell them,
just make sure that your fish is a blue acara and not a green terror, GT's grow larger and can be much more aggressive

 

[Faythee]

If I were to add 3 Festivums and 1 Blue Acara would I need to remove any of my other fish ?

Currently housing: 8 danios, 3 tinfoil barbs, 1 opaline gourami, 1 pictus catfish

I read you should keep all fish from the same area in order for them to be happy. Right now the only thing in there from S. America is the Pictus Catfish ???

Does my set up look appropiate ?

 

[Davo86]

personally i have never stuck to fish from just one area,
apart from your danios you have what i call a 'hardy community' of fish, these should be fine living together but can all be territorial at some time.

if your danios aren't too small and you have plenty of cover then i don't think you will have a problem, especially if you buy your festivums and acara small, this will give the danios time to grow, before the cichlids mature.