What Cichlids Can I Have With...

[LolaLouie]

I have just upgraded my 90l to a 200l.

I will be moving the following fish into my 200l:
1 Oto
3 Corys
6 Cherry barbs
6 Neons
3 Amano shrimp
3 Dwarf Gouramis 1M 2 F
4 Pentazona barbs

I will also be buying for the tank:
2 Corys
1 Angel (will be ok with the neons if I buy the angel small right??)


I wanted to also add maybe 1 or 2 cichlids (e.g. Kribs/Convicts) and was just wondering what cichlids (if any) will be ok in the above set up??

pH of tap water is 8 and I don't like messing with it so could only have fish that can live in pH this high!

Thanks

Gemma

 

[pauly]

Convicts are a big no no

 

[LolaLouie]

Why's that?

 

[the biffster]

yes why is that i used to keep a pair in an 18"x"18"x12" along with a pair of b/nose it was a good combo
both had plenty of fry the used to swim about together a planted as well with valis and pygmy swords and
washed sharp sand i looks just like real river sand in fact i am going to set another one up


good luck biff

 

[Topazlizz]

Convicts are too aggressive to keep with angels and get too big, but I'd go for smaller cichlids in that setup - eg apistogramma, ramirezi, thomasii, curviceps. All of those I find completely fascinating in behaviour if perhaps not all in colouring. If you're set on someting a little bit larger, perhaps you could try a pair of Cryptoheros Nanoluteus (CA) that still don't get very big at all, but may be a little too tough for the angel to handle. I've never kept angels with CAs but I'd imagine that the peaceful Sajica could work.
Maybe it's just me, but I can't fathom keeping cichlids single, including angels. They so love to be in pairs, but two pairs in 200L still needs thinking about, and it needs to be arranged to allow for two vey distinct territories to be established.
I have a pair of blue acaras and a pair of Cryptoheros spilurus in the same 240L tank, and it's only just big enough. Fish are still not very large though, and only now starting to breed. Fortunately I have the means to get another tank very quickly if things get out of hand, but if you don't see that as a possible solution I'd suggest going with the smaller cichlids I listed first. The SA dwarf cichlids are really lovely if you can offer them the right water conditions.

 

[Topazlizz]

Sorry, forgot to adress your question about kribs - they're small enough to work well in that setup. It comes down to how finicky you are about keeping Africans with South Americans and if your water works for both. Angels like low pH and soft water, kribs like higher pH and harder water but in my experience kribs handle low pH quite well. I've rarely had problems with kribs whatever the water, unless it's just plain bad of course. Angels don't fare well in high pH water in my experience, though they're usually sold without question as to water stats. If your water is high pH, I'd suggest skipping the angel (as well as SA dwarfs suggested above, except thomasii)and getting kribs as well as maybe some shelldwellers, lamprologus.