New Setup

[mrplaty]

Hi,
I have been keeping tropical fish for a while now and in my main tank which is 25 gallons i have things like guppies and neon tetras etc.

I would like to drain the tank down and start all over again but this time i would prefer some cichlids, angelfish and catfish. Could anybody suggest a set-up of fish that could all get along together peacefully??

I think i would prefer to kepp the shoal of neon tetras and i will also want a red-tail black shark!!

thanks
Graham

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Im no expert on cichlids so i would be no good at suggesting any for your tank, i do know that unfortunatly the absolute minimum gals for a RTBS is 30gals and they can get agressive as they mature(particually when they are kept in tanks of the smaller gallon range), which can make them very difficult to stock with other fish- tetras, corys, plecs are almost always fine with RTBS, but anything bigger than 2inchs that looks remotely shark-like and is a mid to top level swimming fish can be a problem.
There aern't many plecs that are readily available in lfs that don't cost you an arm and a leg to buy, but bristlenose plecs;

http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...cistru/49_F.PHP

And candy striped and clown plecs;

http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...ckolti/75_F.PHP

http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...naque/734_F.PHP

Shouldn't be too difficult to find and will easily fit in a 25gal .
Is your tank 25 UK gals or 25 US gals? Are you interested in corys or any other types of fish- what will you do with your current stocking?

 

[mrplaty]

25 UK gallons. I was thinking about getting some britlenoses. With my current stocking will put them in my other (smaller) tank but i havent really got that many left just a few guppies and mollies.

 

[Ethos]

I don't know much about Central Cichlids, but I know there are very few, maybe even no african cichlid that can live in your tank. Its 5 gallons too short for my smallest recommendation.
So as long as you make sure you don't have any africans(africans and central hate eachother)with the centrals that you want (angle fish and such)...
But 25G's might just be big enough for a pair of angelfish, and a small schooling tetra, or just a small no-agressive fish.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I don't know much about Central Cichlids, but I know there are very few, maybe even no african cichlid that can live in your tank.

Kribs?

 

[_Cal_]

A pair of angels I would say is a no no, especially if the tank isnt 18 inches tall. There are a ton of cichlids that would fit in your tank. A species of rams, kribs, shellies(which there are alot to chose from and are very colorful), I believe even yellow labs and apistos. These fish you cant mix tho, your tank is on the small side.

 

[Vegan Peaches]

I don't know much about Central Cichlids, but I know there are very few, maybe even no african cichlid that can live in your tank.

No Africans, but a pair of Rams (New World Cichlids) could fit into a 25 gallon tank. They don't grow big (2-3"), are very pretty, and if you get a breeding pair, they will make babies ^^ They get a little agressive while breeding, so be sure to have caves and lots of hiding places. Rams and a small plec (like those posted above) or a shoal of cories would look nice... you could always just get a group of 8 cories and a bunch of neons

 

[_Cal_]

lol what I suggested can fit. Shellies are AFRICAN, and some can even fit in a 5 gallon.

 

[Ethos]

I believe even yellow labs and apistos.

Nope.
Too active. I had these in mind at first, but then I remembered the very BARE MINIMUM is 30 gallons. Even if you say "Oh, its only 5 gallons", its a huge difference when your talking about say, a 10G tank.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I don't know much about Central Cichlids, but I know there are very few, maybe even no african cichlid that can live in your tank.

No Africans, but a pair of Rams (New World Cichlids) could fit into a 25 gallon tank. They don't grow big (2-3"), are very pretty, and if you get a breeding pair, they will make babies ^^ They get a little agressive while breeding, so be sure to have caves and lots of hiding places. Rams and a small plec (like those posted above) or a shoal of cories would look nice... you could always just get a group of 8 cories and a bunch of neons

Aren't kribs and shellies African?

 

[mrplaty]

ill definately get a few kribs and i think i will get some catfish/corrys aswell

 

[Bloo]

No Africans, but a pair of Rams (New World Cichlids) could fit into a 25 gallon tank.

Are there really no African Cichlids that fit into a 30 US gallon (25 UK) tank ?
That doesn't sound right.....

 

[mrplaty]

well i think kribs will be Ok and they are african. Is it hard to tell the difference between male and female kribs??

 

[veilsidesd]

Id change that tank to brackish water and get some cool colorful fish, 20 gal tank so small, why not invest in a bigger tank? i had a 55 gal with chcilds and that really wasnt big enuff a dempsey and green terror both fought over space and the drift wood log lol. i have a 90gal now and i still think its to small

 

[yvez9]

kribs are usually easy to sex

females have a pink belly, like many cichlids

you could keep rams in there, shelldwellers

in the new world cichlid forum, there is a sticky about dwarf cichlids so you could check that out!