New Fish For New Tank

[BluePlanetGirl]

Hey Guys,

I'm getting a new tropical tank, and was looking at getting some dwarf Cichlids. Or ones that won't get over 10cms.
I want something very colourful. I was thinking of German Blue Rams. And/or something similarily colourful!
Have you guys got some suggestions???

Also I'm planning on only getting girls to prevent territorial problems. So fish that are colourful in BOTH sexes preferably.

This will be a community tank, so I want everyone to get along, and hoping to put a Siamese fighter in too.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[fluttermoth]

GBRs are beautiful, but they're very delicate and ned warmer temperatures than most tropical fish. I'd recommend one of the Apistogramma species, or Bolivian rams which aren't quite as colourful as the blues but are much hardier and more tolerant.

Females are equally as aggressive and territorial as the males im my experience.

I don't know much about Siamese fighters, but you will have to be very careful with the rest of your stocking if you want one; there are an awful lot of fish who would find those long fins irresistable! He'd probably be better off in a small tank either on his own or with some shrimp or smaller Rasbora species; tetras are generally too nippy.

 

[BluePlanetGirl]

I have a fighter in my other community tank, He seems to be getting along with everything in there and has neither been bullied or started bullying.

I heard that cichlids aren't normally nippy fish. Is this wrong???

 

[fluttermoth]

It's not really the cichlids I was talking about (although all cichlids have the potential for aggression; I had a female GBR that killed nine green neons and her own mate at various times) but the other potential tankmates.

I'd steer clear of all the tetra species for instance; it might be ok, but it's a risk. You have to decide for yourself whther to try it or not and be prepared for the fallout if it doesn't!

 

[Marto666]

"Also I'm planning on only getting girls to prevent territorial problems"

In my experience some of the girls are worst! It’s like kicking out time on a Friday night in town centre between some of my females sometimes.

My fighter gets on fine with all other fish, he is the most chilled out one which was a supprise to me.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Hmm personally i wouldn't recommend male Siamese Fighting Fish for community tanks in general, and not just because of conflict issues. Years ago when i had one i used to keep him in a 30gal community tank (Platys, Neons, Corys etc) and he seemed absolutely fine in it- never got sick, swam around fine, fish all got on well together. But then one day i decided to get him his own tank (5gallon) and he really came to life in it! Previously he had just moped around the community tank, looking a bit dull etc, but once in his own tank he started swimming about loads, building bubble nests and flaring at people etc. Became a totally different fish !
So while male Siamese Fighting Fish/Betta's often seem to do ok in some community tanks, they are often happiest in they own little tank with gentle filtration and a little heater and some plants. Whenever i see them in community tanks they just seem to find a quiet area and mope around all day.

 

[amy1994]

How big is the tank? as this would help.
I would recommend having livebearers, they are easy to tell if they are male or female, they are very colourful and come in many different varieties. http/www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http/www.fishkeepingforum.co.uk/forum/UploadedPhotos/jennybugs/2010-04-30_092141_tropicalfish010.jpg&imgrefurl=http/www.fishkeepingforum.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp%3FTID%3D5868&usg=__2lxMdBmTc2DYhfMHONo-eMU33ho=&h=298&w=269&sz=58&hl=en&start=0&sig2=rKcPeMVE9yoWo3_1tcbW4A&zoom=1&tbnid=v0QN0E0-k4JtKM:&tbnh=147&tbnw=130&ei=zOPkTfHxIc6q8AO-uJmFBw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dplaty%2Bfemale%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4ACAW_en___GB398%26biw%3D1311%26bih%3D613%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&page=1&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&tx=43&ty=38&biw=1311&bih=613
They are small and also make great community tanks
There are many fish that you can put with them.
If you had platies, you could put with them:
Tetras
Angelfish
Dwarf Gourami
Swordtails
Molly
Loaches
Plecos
Cories
Barbs
I've heard they can go with betta/fighting fish, but i have never tried this
Loaches

There are many more, they do make good community fish, also like Tokis-Phoenix has said
You could have a nice community tank, with fish in all levels of the tank, and they would be very colourful.

 

[micko]

Its hard to suggest stocking as you haven't mentioned the size of the new tank.

 

[Rogue4Fish]

I had a fighter in my community but I took him out. Not because he was bullied, I just found he shyed away a lot because of the amount of fish in the tank. Spent a lot of time hidden away in the plants. He seem much happier on his own.

 

[BluePlanetGirl]

Sorry to not be specific, The new tank will be a 60L like the one I have now.

I beg to differ. I had the Siamese fighter in his own tank, but he just moped around doing nothing and looked sad, So I put him in the community tank and he's been SOOOO different ever since. He loves it, he swims around all the time and looks happy.

I'm not really into Live-bearers. I have a few and they just don't do it for me. Abit boring to me. Platys and Mollies and Swordtails, I don't really like the shape or colours. I had Guppies and they gave me nothing but trouble. Healthwise and beating up each other and other tank members.

I'm looking for something a little different, Something colourful, not so much lots of different coloured fish but fish with different colours.
Thats why I was leaning towards Cichlids or maybe possible Gouramis.
I read in a fish book that the Dwarf Cichlids seem to be less aggressive and more timid. Is this so???

Saying that girls are just as bad as boys what would people suggest to avoid aggression

 

[twodoctors]

Cichlids are territorial. Having girls only means that they won't breed, so you won't experience the extra aggression that comes with mating. GBR are very sensitive, like discus, prefers soft acidic water. Check your pH first.

Adrian