Choosing A Cichlid

[agusf]

hello
i have a community freshwater 150 liter tank and im aboutm to finish cycling.
I will buy otos, neons and guppies. I would also like a cichlid but i dont
know which to choose. i would like something like angelfish or discus, but
for begginner and compatible with my other fish, and of course really beutifull.
any recommendations?

 

[Verminator89]

First off, otos and neons are finicky fish. If your water isnt right they'll let you know by dieing rapidly. Probably better to avoid oto's to start with and perhaps try a different tetra thats easier to care for. Unfortunately guppys will most likely be nipped by most cichlids and alot of other fish due to their very tempting tails. So before you decide which cichlid takes your fancy i'd revise your tank companions to be a little suitable for what you wish to keep. Seeing as you would like a cichlid id plan the tankmates around this fish.

As for cichlids there are many good ones that will fit nicely into a 150L tank. You have various dwarf cichlids, you have apistos which can look stunning, and they all get on with smaller fish.

Angels may well eat tetras when they are big enough and will certainly nip guppys because of their tails. Discuss are specialised in the sense they require much higher maintenance, requiring very good water quality constantly. Daily water cahnges of about 10% are recommended for Discuss.

 

[markandhisfish]

id say that a 150l is on the small side for angels personally. it most likely wont be tall enough for starters. again discus , even with the appropriate level of care and experience , 150l isnt big enough . id be inclined to go with a trio of appistos 1 male 2 females , or maybe bolivian rams , which are a lot less sensitive than german blue rams .

this also means you will have much more options for tankmates .

 

[Biulu]

Angels are hardy, and if you have around 45 cm of height in your tank, you can easily put in a pair. I don't agree that 150 litres is not enough, in this case the height is more important. I have a 180 litre with a height of 50 cms and house a pair of angels. I keep them with cherry barbs,bolivian rams and zebra loaches. Mine are blushing angels (white with a reddish cheek)and greatly offset the green plants.

 

[BethK]

apistos are bottom dwellers, mine don;t bother my guppies and they stay on the smaller side.

I would defo recommend dwarf cichlids i.e. apistos to any beginner

 

[markandhisfish]

Angels are hardy, and if you have around 45 cm of height in your tank, you can easily put in a pair. I don't agree that 150 litres is not enough, in this case the height is more important. I have a 180 litre with a height of 50 cms and house a pair of angels. I keep them with cherry barbs,bolivian rams and zebra loaches. Mine are blushing angels (white with a reddish cheek)and greatly offset the green plants.

i did actually state the problem would most likely be the height. also if a 180L tank is 50cm high , it cant be very long or wide? at the end of the day angels are large cichlids and imo should be housed accordingly .