Cichilids In A Comunity Tank

[stephenmore]

since starting fish keeping a year ago after reading up on aquarium fish i decided i wanted cichilids in my 58 gallon tank thinking that you couldnt mix the cichilids with any other kind of fish yesterday i stumbled on an article that said you could put kribensis in a comunity tank so today i bought some ocean rock and 4 kribensis which puts my tank to its maximum of fish it can have has any one else got cichilids in there comunity tank would like to know how they get on and what type

 

[Wills]

Hi, first thing to know about cichlids is there are two very different types (both of which divide down further..... but no need to complicate any more right now) The two types are Old world and New world - generally speaking New World cichlids can be mixed in some community tanks. Where as Old World need specialist set ups really.

New Worlds comprise of Central and South American Cichlids and a few riverene cichlids like Kribs and African Butterfly Cichlids. Examples of the Americans for community tanks though often needing large tanks are things like Uarus, Severums, Firemouths, Ellioti, Cupid Cichlids, Blue Acaras, Port Acaras, Theraps and various others.

A 58 gallon tank is a good sized tank to have a New World Cichlid tank but you dont need the ocean rock as most New World Cichlids need neutral - soft water though some Central Americans need hard water but often thrive just as well in neutral tap water. Old World or African tanks are known for their rock work where as New World Cichlid tanks are known more for planted set ups with bogwood and sand substrates.

New World Community tanks do need planning carefully though as you need to be aware that some of the cichlids you can keep in community tanks are higher up the food chain so you need to be careful when keeping some small or delicate fish with them but once you know whats a yes and whats a no its pretty easy to work out if it will work - that said though most new world cichlids are predictably unpredictable and each one has its own temperment and some species have a broader spectrum of attitudes than others. This is down to the fact that cichlids are inteligent and like their own space but how much space is their space is dependant on the individual.

Hope thats helped
Wills

 

[stephenmore]

i did read that the kribensis loved caves i have only put in 5 rocks so i could make caves and it is planted with bogwood in there aswell that said your wealth of knowledge has helped enlighten me thanks for the reply wills

 

[Wills]

Hi no problem glad I can help

The thing with ocean rocks is that it naturally raises the Ph of the tank which African Rift cichlids need but none rift Africans and South Americans dont and are actually badly effected by it. So I would think about taking the rocks out and swapping it for something that wont change the Ph like Slate

Wills

 

[ChrissyBoy]

I bought 3 Albino Kribensis, on the advice of my LFS who said that they will definitely be alright in my community tank and are not aggressive.
They were 2 females and 1 male. The male is quite large and he's very, very aggressive. They've got caves and lots of plants in the tank but still, he just wants to ruck it out with every other fish and they've all got his number already avoiding him whenever he swims by. However, I did read that they're aggressive whilst spawning.
Obviously, what Wills said is right, they all have their own character and you can't generalise all of these fish and say they'll be fine in a community; even if you provide their preferred habitat.
I'm gonna give him a chance to settle down, if he doesn't; he's going back to the LFS that sold it to me as they gave me dack advice.

 

[stephenmore]

Hi no problem glad I can help

The thing with ocean rocks is that it naturally raises the Ph of the tank which African Rift cichlids need but none rift Africans and South Americans dont and are actually badly effected by it. So I would think about taking the rocks out and swapping it for something that wont change the Ph like Slate

Wills

i read that kribs like a ph of 7c/7.5c my tank reading is 6.5c so hopefully the ph will rise .5c i shall check the reading tomorrow as i have just done a 40% water chage

 

[twodoctors]

Defines community tank. Do you mean a mixed community (like barbs, tetras) or cichlid community? A big difference as some of the cichlids will eat anything that it wants to eat, while others are shy and more tolerant to others.

I have a mixed community tank and I have a paired-up Sajica Cichlids. They are bigger than my barbs but they don't bother them at all. I did have one Jack Dempsey before when I only have my 12 barbs, but by the 1st morning, 12 became 11 and the JD had to go back to the shop.

Adrian

 

[FishFanatic13]

also blue rams, bolivian rams

 

[stephenmore]

Defines community tank. Do you mean a mixed community (like barbs, tetras) or cichlid community? A big difference as some of the cichlids will eat anything that it wants to eat, while others are shy and more tolerant to others.

I have a mixed community tank and I have a paired-up Sajica Cichlids. They are bigger than my barbs but they don't bother them at all. I did have one Jack Dempsey before when I only have my 12 barbs, but by the 1st morning, 12 became 11 and the JD had to go back to the shop.

Adrian

a mixed comunity platy danios weather loache and mountain minnoes

 

[twodoctors]

Defines community tank. Do you mean a mixed community (like barbs, tetras) or cichlid community? A big difference as some of the cichlids will eat anything that it wants to eat, while others are shy and more tolerant to others.

I have a mixed community tank and I have a paired-up Sajica Cichlids. They are bigger than my barbs but they don't bother them at all. I did have one Jack Dempsey before when I only have my 12 barbs, but by the 1st morning, 12 became 11 and the JD had to go back to the shop.

Adrian

a mixed comunity platy danios weather loache and mountain minnoes

There are plenty of choices depending on your water chemistry. The hardier ones like Blue Acara, Firemouth and Sajica are calmer. Convicts, JD and Green Terror would probably not work and they are very aggressive. Rams as mentioned above are quite mild manner as well. German Blue Ram requires acidic water however, while Bolivian would be ok in slightly alkaline water (depending on which site you read). Discuses are also cichlids, and need acidic water.

Something to go on there. It's all about researching then asking in forums about people's experience, then more researching, and see what your LFS actually stock!

Adrian

 

[stephenmore]

so far i am moved towards getting some rams in the distant future my options remain open though i am more enclined to go with dwarf cichlids

 

[stephenmore]

three of my kribensis

 

[fishnovice]

Angelfish are often OK in a community tank even with livebearers. Not tetra though as large angels will eat them

 

[rdstars]

I have just got two Rams,look so much better in the tank than in photos. I like them that much I am going to get another two, there colours are realy nice.

 

[stephenmore]

the alpha male has settled with the female he keeps hunting down the other 2 and chases them is there any thing i can do to prevent this other than putting them in another tank which i havent got room for or will it just subside