Non Cichlid Tankmates For A Blue Acara...

[cuticom]

So anyways currently I've got a baby male blue acara, and a baby 5 inch oscar in a 55g. The plan was when I originally bought the oscar, to see if I liked them and if I did, upgrade, if i didn't rehome and try something new. Anyways I love my acara, but the oscar not so much, he's got a few more months to make me fall in love with him, the cut off being when he reaches 8 inches and needs a filter upgrade.

So just research at the moment, are there any non cichlid tankmates to go with a blue acara, in a 55g four foot tank? I'm not a real fan of cichlids, though when I first bought them I thought they were awesome, they were also my first cichlids LOL. So now I've worked out I like community tanks, I'm just going from there.

So what can a blue acara live with?

Thanks
Emma

 

[shroob]

Blue acara's are quite mellow by cichlid standars, so you could have a SA themed community tank, with some larger fish, nothing too small otherwise the acara might snack on them. A shoal of cory's on the bottom, maybe a fancy plec if you want, about 6 emporer tetras and for the top some silver hatchets (maybe, probably have to research more). With some nice plants aswell. ofc, there are alot more, this is just the first thing that came to my head.

I would wait though and not add any fish at the moment, the oscar and acara will be enough in that tank for now. If you get rid of the oscar, you can then think about adding the other fish

 

[cuticom]

The reason I'm asking is for options If the oscar is rehomed, the tanks overstocked as is, I don't want to add more with the oscar there.

Oh and the acaras 4 inch, his growing has slowed down heaps, I think he'll probably stop at 5-6 inch, he went from growing an inch and a half a month, to growing barely a quarter of an inch a month.

 

[Davo86]

Hi cuticom

My old Blue Acara lived with many cyprinids, including barbs, danios, clowns, 1 RTB shark, CAE's, flying fox and other botias, had no problems at all,

 

[cuticom]

I've just been flicking around sites and would any of these be okay? This isn't a stock list, I know they wouldn't all fit, it's just idea
Silver Dollars (or will they get too big/to skittish? if I went with these it would just be the acara and silver dollars)
OR
Bristlenose (say 3-4, I like these lil dudes LOL)
OR
Clown Barb (6 at most, I can get good sized ones for a decent price...)
OR
Tiger Barb (10 of these)
OR
Mollies, or is that just asking for trouble?

 

[Davo86]

Barbs and Bristlenose should be fine, (forgot to mention i also had 3 bristlenose in with mine)

I would say that the tank is too small for Dollars as you would need around 6 to make them settle,
standard Mollys are a 50/50 i'd say, Sailfin Mollys should be ok though, depends on the Blue acara

 

[vancouver]

Leave the silver dollars out.. They're really skittish..

Gouramis probably would work.. Barbs would work, plecs should work.

 

[cuticom]

Well it looks like I might be getting a 70g to replace the 55 I have at the mo, so what sort of bioload of fish would I be looking at? Say most are 4-6 inches long. So how many 6" fish could I have in a 70g?

 

[cuticom]

Hmmm cancel that, looks like I might be getting an 80g instead of the 70....