Cant decide!

[TempestBlayze]

I have a 20 gal tank with 4 zebra danios, 2 painted tetras, 1 weather loach, and a algea eater. As most of you probably know aside from my paintes tetras I have a lot of very dull colored fish. I was wondering if any of you guys know if there is a nice bright and colorful community fish out there(aside from neons...I got neon desease).
I was thinking about a Blue zebra cichlid or a electric yellow labido cichlid but I wasnt sure if they would eat the fish in the tank or outgrow my tank.

 

[smb]

I wouldn't recommend putting Africans in there. They are very aggressive and would surely harrass or maybe even kill your community fish.

I've heard it mentioned by some that Labidochromis caeruleus (electric yellow labido cichlid) is peacefull and ok in a community tank, but I don't believe it, personally.

Ps. zebra is very aggressive and shouldn't be tried either.

 

[jerenycool]

i heard just the oppiste of smb i heard the they were very aggo.. but i could be wrong i have never had one

 

[smb]

i heard just the oppiste of smb i heard the they were very aggo.. but i could be wrong i have never had one

No, I think you're correct. That's what I think also. Was just trying to give as much info as I could.

I don't believe people when they say they are peaceful, just saying I heard it sometimes.

 

[juliethegr8t]

How about some sort of Gourami? If you don't want ones that will grow too large for your tank, you could pick up a variety of Dwarfs. I have two and they are absolutely gorgeous. They add a ton of color to any tank and are lots of fun . There are a lot of colors to choose from - and personally I think they're all awesome. There's normal blue, neon blue, powder blue, fire red, etc etc!!

 

[Pufferpack]

If you are looking for colorful peaceful cichlids try Aulonocara baenschi

or Pelvicachromis pulcher (Krebensis)

 

[TempestBlayze]

Thanks a lot guys...im going to look into those dwarfs...still fixed on that yellow cichlid though...hehe maybe I will give it a shot.

 

[baseballfan111]

red tailed sharks are nice but u can only have one per a tank, they stay pretty small 2

 

[Braddah]

what about some killifish...peacefull and great colors...kinda hard to find though

 

[caz27]

What about guppies? they come in some lovely colours and are peacful.

Caz

 

[TempestBlayze]

What if I got the cichlid's at a very young age? Would they still be agressive?

 

[smb]

What if I got the cichlid's at a very young age? Would they still be agressive?

Yes. There are some that won't be very aggro at a young age, but if a fish is destined to be mean, they will be mean no matter what when they mature.

Now if you want to go with some cichlids that aren't as aggro and can fit within a community tank, then there's a few possibilities.

Just not what you listed in your original post, imo.

 

[Alia]

Now if you want to go with some cichlids that aren't as aggro and can fit within a community tank, then there's a few possibilities.

No bright yellow ones though, right? Gouramis were what I was thinking, too (the red dwarf varieties are really vivid). Cherry barbs also give the tank a nice splash of color. The males are the brightest. With kribs (pelvichromis pulcher), they are most colorful when breeding, and also most aggressive when breeding, so there is a caveat. I don't do livebearers, but many of the swords and guppies are lovely and bright.

I know how you feel. I had my eye on an electric blue cichlid (my husband called them "blue man group" fish) before I researched them and discovered they'd be aggressive. I'm not ready for an all cichlid tank yet -- not yet .

 

[Inchworm]

If you'll consider livebearers, why not look into getting some plattys. They come in a variety of colors and get along with everyone. There is an orange variety called Sunset Platty that is really beautiful, but there are others that are nice, too.

 

[Alien Anna]

Inchworm beat me to it - what about platies? Or (depending on tankmates) Swordtails?

Other colourful, good community fish include:

Dwarf gouramis (get one or a pair), in blue or gold variant
Blue gouramis
Female bettas (careful you don't get a fin-nipped male)
Beckford's golden pencilfish (particularly in breeding colours)
Three-striped pencilfish
Cardinal tetras (tougher than neons, assuming your tank is well cycled)
Glowlight tetras
Red phantom tetras
Emporer tetras
Black neon tetras (when in condition very striking patterns including blue)
Rummy-nosed tetras
Pearl gouramis (don't go by their colour in the LFS - in full breeding colour they are spectacular)
Rosy minnows
Clown rasboras
Zebra danios
Gold barbs
Rosy barbs
Mollies (in gold or dalmation spots)