Help! What Cichlids Can Live Together

[woody1957]

I need serious help. I was at a pet store yesterday and saw Cichlids and fell in love with the colors, movement and personality of the fish. So I went out and bought a new 55 gallon tank so I can start a new home for these little guys, I already have a 140 gallon community tank. Well I see that there are African Cichilids, New World Cichlids, Cichlids from different lakes and the list just goes on. Can all of the Cichlids be mixed together? If not which one of the types are most common to find buy in the US and also which ones of the types have best color personality, etc. Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[Wills]

Its reasonably simple.

First split it into New World (American) and Old World (African).

The New Worlds are split between Central and South American and the Old Worlds can be split first between Riverine and Rift Lake. Then the Rift Lake splits into three - thats all I know about the Rift Lakes to be fair but they are amazing fish so worth asking for stocking suggestions in the old world section of this forum.

In a 55 gallon tank if you went for the American options your looking at a community of 3 or 4 males of different species living with a few catfish and dithers. Or you could have 2 breeding pairs with cats and dithers. There are a hand full of Riverine African species like Kribs and possibly Blockheads that can be kept in a similar almost community setting. Where as Africans are a community of species of Cichlids. There is also an other set up you could do with a stand out cichlid and a group of gregarious cichlids like Cupids.

Africans have the better colours as in if you want a yellow fish you can get a bright yellow fish and if you want a blue fish you can get bright blue etc. But IMO Americans have the better personalities and are beautiful in their own right with lots of iridescent flecks and markings that catch brilliantly in the light. And a few are exceptionally well coloured. But it is their characters that makes them win for me, they are intelligent animals and just have a real "pet quality".

Its worth having a google and coming up with which species you like and then we can help you put a stock list together

Wills

 

[woody1957]

Thank you. Sorry for my ignorance but what fish fall in the dithers group?

 

[Wills]

Dithers are kept with Americans and are smaller fish that school generally like Tetras or Barbs, these smaller fish do 2 jobs. 1. They show our cichlids that there are no big predators, realistically our cichlids are not that big so are susceptible to predators so if they see smaller fish around them it gives them more confidence. Job 2 is to act as target fish, so this is when you have 2 or 3 dominant fish in the tank and the idea is that the dither fish will swim around and distract them a small chase will ensue but over all no damage come to either party.

Wills

 

[woody1957]

great thanks never knew you can keep community fish with cichlids Here is the future home for the little guys

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