Cyclids

[Tyler777]

The wife wants to start a 75 gallons tank into a cyclids tank. We were checking out some cyclids at petsmart the other day n we saw some yellow guys hanging around with some other that looks like convicts we didn't see any bullying.
Which cyclids can we get that will always get along ?

 

[CassCats]

This is a complex question.

If you've got soft water or hard water... this will impact what you want.

Cichlids can be bossy turds, or can mellow out and it all comes down to how they're stocked and chosen.

You don't mix south american Cichlids with African Cichlids. Stick to same region. And carefully research the area you want to do. For example, you wouldn't put Lake Malawi Cichlids in with species from the Congo, even though both are from Africa. Totally different water parameters and behaviors between the two.

Some of the south american ones are much more peaceful, such as the rams. Or can go larger species. Many of the geophagus are nice too, but will need certain conditions as well.

A good mellower cichlid for a 75 gallon would be a nice group of blue acara, and leaves you options for some upper level community type fish, such are larger tetras like diamond tetras, skirt tetras, emperor tetras, etc. But, these will require softer water, so that's something to check into.

There are also apistogramma species which are neat, though small. Some have more fussy parameter requirements though too.

From congo there's kribensis and jewel Cichlids, plus a few others I'm not well versed on. These guys would do well in softer water, similar to some south american water range.


If your water is liquid rock, look into any of the rift lake Cichlids or central american Cichlids (convicts are one such cichlid). But do not mix them. A petshop does not reflect longterm thriving conditions to mimic

 

[Tyler777]

This is a complex question.

If you've got soft water or hard water... this will impact what you want.

Cichlids can be bossy turds, or can mellow out and it all comes down to how they're stocked and chosen.

You don't mix south american Cichlids with African Cichlids. Stick to same region. And carefully research the area you want to do. For example, you wouldn't put Lake Malawi Cichlids in with species from the Congo, even though both are from Africa. Totally different water parameters and behaviors between the two.

Some of the south american ones are much more peaceful, such as the rams. Or can go larger species. Many of the geophagus are nice too, but will need certain conditions as well.

A good mellower cichlid for a 75 gallon would be a nice group of blue acara, and leaves you options for some upper level community type fish, such are larger tetras like diamond tetras, skirt tetras, emperor tetras, etc. But, these will require softer water, so that's something to check into.

There are also apistogramma species which are neat, though small. Some have more fussy parameter requirements though too.

From congo there's kribensis and jewel Cichlids, plus a few others I'm not well versed on. These guys would do well in softer water, similar to some south american water range.


If your water is liquid rock, look into any of the rift lake Cichlids or central american Cichlids (convicts are one such cichlid). But do not mix them. A petshop does not reflect longterm thriving conditions to mimic

Thank you. Will get back at you once we have the tank ready n we start looking to buy

 

[CassCats]

The very first thing I'd do is test your tap water pH and GH. Because many cichlids need certain tank layout habitats. So you'd need to know what general idea you are going to want before setting the tank up.


Example, if you went apistogramma, they'd be miserable in a setup meant for rift lake species. And rift lake species will devour a planted tank and kill one another in an open environment--they need a lot of sight breaks. These come from rocky lake beds.


So in this order:

Check your tap water parameters.

Choose a group that suits your parameters and then look into the behaviour of them and see which it is that your wife would enjoy most.


Then set up the tank for that fish so they have the right setup to begin with.


Then, once tank has a stable cycle, then obtain the fish.

 

[Tyler777]

The very first thing I'd do is test your tap water pH and GH. Because many cichlids need certain tank layout habitats. So you'd need to know what general idea you are going to want before setting the tank up.


Example, if you went apistogramma, they'd be miserable in a setup meant for rift lake species. And rift lake species will devour a planted tank and kill one another in an open environment--they need a lot of sight breaks. These come from rocky lake beds.


So in this order:

Check your tap water parameters.

Choose a group that suits your parameters and then look into the behaviour of them and see which it is that your wife would enjoy most.


Then set up the tank for that fish so they have the right setup to begin with.


Then, once tank has a stable cycle, then obtain the fish.

Thank you

 

[Colin_T]

Go to a pet shop or online and make a list of fish you like. Post the list here and we can go through it for you.

And provide the pH, GH & KH of your water. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

 

[Tyler777]

Go to a pet shop or online and make a list of fish you like. Post the list here and we can go through it for you.

And provide the pH, GH & KH of your water. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Ok thank you. I don't have anything to test KH n GH so I will have to make a phone call or go test it at petsmart

 

[Colin_T]

Ok thank you. I don't have anything to test KH n GH so I will have to make a phone call or go test it at petsmart

Have a look online at your water company's website and look for a water analysis report or email them and ask them for a copy of it.