Malawi's/Pike

[Kieron1]

I have a 52" aquarium which once set up will have on one side dense plantation and on the other slate caves.
I want to keep a pike cichlild, some Malawi's and some other cichlids along with some silver sharks, a small shovelnose and maybe a red tail shark Would this set up be ok and what other fish can be kept with pike?
Will my plants get dug up by the cichlids, even if they are rooted behind a big piece of bogwood?

 

[CFC]

That set up will not work, if the Mbuna dont kill the shovelnose first then as soon as it reaches a large enough size it will eat them, also your dense plants wont stay dense for long as Mbuna will view it as a all you can eat salad bar.

I'm afraid you will have to make the choice between one continent or the other, either go for a dedicated Mbuna tank with lots of cave work and no plants or a South American style tank with the shovelnose and pike with a few hardy plants, although not S.American the silver sharks could also work in this tank, though the RTBS would have to be forgotten as it would be prey to both the pike and shovelnose at some point.

 

[Kieron1]

ok fair enough. At first I wanted a community tank with various barbs etc but at the weekend I spotted one of these Pike cichlids and desperately want one. So whatr other fish can be kept with them that won't eat all my plants either?

 

[CFC]

Pike Cichlids are South American, they are generally safe with fish that are too large to eat and have a different body shape to themselves.

 

[freddyk]

Different Pike cichlid species range anywhere from 4" to 24", many should really only be kept with more experienced aquarists.

Ideally you would want one compatible m/f pair of a species of pike that grows no larger then 10" or so. Pike are very territorial which means they should be the only cichlids in the tank. Tankmates should be suitable non-cichlids that won't be mistaken for food - nothing slender, and remember that shoaling fish must be kept in large groups for security - more numbers of less species. Even fish too big to be eaten recognize a piscavore on sight.

First you need to find out what type of Pike it is.