Becca
Fishaholic
Ok, I'll probably get flamed here, but...I feel strongly about this opinion so here goes.
First of all - a 29G tank - as a *start out only or holding tank* for baby or very small cichlids, IMO is ok, as long as you will migrate them to a bigger tank before long. Just remember that even though you can fit in a small 8x10 room doesn't mean that you're going to be able to live comfortably in that area.
Regarding compatibility, I have an African community tank that ranges from fish around 18 months old to fish about 6-10 years old (obtained from breeders). I've had the tank for about a year and keep quite a wide variety of fish, including a Red Zebra, couple of Labs, a Demasoni, a Kenyi, 2 Livingstonii and even 2 Johannii. Most of my fish are at least 4" in length - and while there is obviously some chasing going on, none of my fish have nipped fins, and I've only lost 2 cichlids since I started the tank a year ago - both of which were lost to a mysterious infection that popped up out of nowhere months ago.
I have an acquaintance that I would consider to be Cichlid experts - who owns his own fish store that specializes only in Cichlids - and has been in the fish keeping hobby for well over 20 years. And I take his advice when it comes to stocking my tank, which is: "You can keep almost anything you want, as long as you keep it crowded and overstocked." I follow that advice, and honestly, I keep fish together that most people say will never be able to co-exist...and my fish have been co-existing quite happily for about a year now. In fact, folks from the local Cichlid association that've seen my tank have actually applauded my tank setup...the stocking is not "traditional", but it works for me.
My philosophy is basically this: I take someone's first-hand experience over what a book tells me I can/cannot do. And, even though I take it, I treat it only as advice, or suggestions, as to what I should/should not do. In the end, every tank is quite different and I need to decide, and find, what works best for my setup.
If you do decide to mix species that people here recommend against, I do have one bit of advice for you. Keep a close eye on your fish. If you find one getting picked on more than others, or one being overly aggressive, think about trading them in for something else that fits better.
Secondly, after your initial setup is complete - if you decide to add more fish to your community, I'd strongly advise against purchasing fish that look like species you already have. In my experience, that is where most of the agression levels take place - I've tried a couple of times, unsuccessfully, to introduce new fish to my tank that look like, or are the same as, species I already have. Each time, the fish has been stressed to the point where my conscience leaves me no choice but to return the fish to the Cichlid store in leiu of another species that looks different from ones that I currently keep.
Now, in my defense before anyone thinks of flaming me, let me say that I do keep a close eye on my fish. How can I not? It's the focal point of my living / dining room.
Daily, I check for fin nippage, signs of stress and keep an eye out for overly agressive fish. So far, I'm good. I've not yet found a fish that seems overly agressive towards everyone else in the tank. Trust me, there are bursts of agression, but with my stocking levels, the bully fish tend to change targets quite often, thus leaving the underdog ample time to hide in one of the many rock formations or plants.
If I find that some of my species are becoming incompatible, the Cichlid store that I frequent has already agreed to buy any of my species, and I have several (5) smaller tanks that I can use as emergency isolation, if necessary.
First of all - a 29G tank - as a *start out only or holding tank* for baby or very small cichlids, IMO is ok, as long as you will migrate them to a bigger tank before long. Just remember that even though you can fit in a small 8x10 room doesn't mean that you're going to be able to live comfortably in that area.
Regarding compatibility, I have an African community tank that ranges from fish around 18 months old to fish about 6-10 years old (obtained from breeders). I've had the tank for about a year and keep quite a wide variety of fish, including a Red Zebra, couple of Labs, a Demasoni, a Kenyi, 2 Livingstonii and even 2 Johannii. Most of my fish are at least 4" in length - and while there is obviously some chasing going on, none of my fish have nipped fins, and I've only lost 2 cichlids since I started the tank a year ago - both of which were lost to a mysterious infection that popped up out of nowhere months ago.
I have an acquaintance that I would consider to be Cichlid experts - who owns his own fish store that specializes only in Cichlids - and has been in the fish keeping hobby for well over 20 years. And I take his advice when it comes to stocking my tank, which is: "You can keep almost anything you want, as long as you keep it crowded and overstocked." I follow that advice, and honestly, I keep fish together that most people say will never be able to co-exist...and my fish have been co-existing quite happily for about a year now. In fact, folks from the local Cichlid association that've seen my tank have actually applauded my tank setup...the stocking is not "traditional", but it works for me.
My philosophy is basically this: I take someone's first-hand experience over what a book tells me I can/cannot do. And, even though I take it, I treat it only as advice, or suggestions, as to what I should/should not do. In the end, every tank is quite different and I need to decide, and find, what works best for my setup.
If you do decide to mix species that people here recommend against, I do have one bit of advice for you. Keep a close eye on your fish. If you find one getting picked on more than others, or one being overly aggressive, think about trading them in for something else that fits better.
Secondly, after your initial setup is complete - if you decide to add more fish to your community, I'd strongly advise against purchasing fish that look like species you already have. In my experience, that is where most of the agression levels take place - I've tried a couple of times, unsuccessfully, to introduce new fish to my tank that look like, or are the same as, species I already have. Each time, the fish has been stressed to the point where my conscience leaves me no choice but to return the fish to the Cichlid store in leiu of another species that looks different from ones that I currently keep.
Now, in my defense before anyone thinks of flaming me, let me say that I do keep a close eye on my fish. How can I not? It's the focal point of my living / dining room.
Daily, I check for fin nippage, signs of stress and keep an eye out for overly agressive fish. So far, I'm good. I've not yet found a fish that seems overly agressive towards everyone else in the tank. Trust me, there are bursts of agression, but with my stocking levels, the bully fish tend to change targets quite often, thus leaving the underdog ample time to hide in one of the many rock formations or plants.If I find that some of my species are becoming incompatible, the Cichlid store that I frequent has already agreed to buy any of my species, and I have several (5) smaller tanks that I can use as emergency isolation, if necessary.
