Pike Cichlids

[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?

 

[jacob]

I'm not to sure how the balas and the redtail will fare against malawi cichlids or the pike. I made the mistake once of getting 2 malawi cichlids and then community fish like the redtail and balas. The outcome...a lot of dead fish. The balas are fast, but sooner or later...I couldn't tell you about the pike because I have never had one, or even seen one at a lfs, the only time I have heard of them have been the internet.

 

[Kieron1]

So how have you managed to keep a covict in a community tank?

 

[CFC]

Pikes are mean, very mean. Anything that looks like it might be food will be attacked and anything that even looks pike shaped will be killed. Even the smallest shovelnose species will reach 14" within a few years and will be more than capable of swallowing fish up to 6 inches, one member here lost a 7" silver shark overnight to a 14" shovelnose. The pike and the shovelnose should work as long as the pike is always too large for the shovelnose to swallow but the others wont really work.

 

[Kieron1]

Well I really want a large catfish. Are there any that grow to about 10 to 15" that won't eat everything?

 

[Ferris]

Common or Sailfin plec would be a safe bet. Can take care of themselves but are rarely aggressive.

 

[CFC]

Ask any catfish questions in the catfish forum

 

[freddyk]

Different Pike cichlid species range anywhere from 4" to 24", many of which should really only be kept by 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.

 

[jacob]

So how have you managed to keep a covict in a community tank?

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He is still too small to do any damage, and I have an empty 29 gal for if he decides to. Plus by suggestion from everyone else, there won't be that many community fish in there in a little bit anyway.

 

[xamdarb]

do you have a new tank or something cause all your fish seem small

 

[jacob]

Relatively yeah, about 3 months ago or so.

 

[juanveldez]

surprised that nobody pointed out this topic:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=95932

but first off, its gotta be either one or the other. no mixing africans and new worlds, I would also ditch the planted tank idea of yours if you want a planted tank then go with a community tank and some different types of dwarf cichlids. but for the most part if you want planted then stay way from the large cichlids they with either eat the plants or just continously dig them up.