Apistogramma dwarf cichlids are fine in community tanks as long as the tank is 3 foot or longer, and has soft water (low mineral content), and has suitable tank mates.
You can keep them with a few surface dwellers in a 30inch tank but 3ft + is better.
Have some plants and a cave in each corner. The fish will live and breed around their cave. The other fishes in the tank can live in the rest of the tank.
Most aggression from these fish comes during breeding when the parents are protecting their eggs and fry. But compared to other cichlids, Apistogrammas are quite peaceful even when breeding and don't usually go around killing everything in the tank.
Apistogramma cacatuoides are one of my favorites and easy to keep and breed. They come in a range of colour forms with red, yellow or orange fins, and black markings on the fins.
Feed them a variety of foods including live and frozen foods like daphnia, brineshrimp, bloodworms, marine mix (prawn, fish & squid blended up). The baby fish can eat newly hatched brineshrimp and microworms.
