Perfect Cichlid Tank?

[PufferFishRule]

ok ive been looking into creating a cichlid tank...would a 75 gal be sufficient and which should i go with...i prefer bright colors! i want the more active ones though... and what substrate should i use..and what not

 

[cookie101]

My favorite set-up is the Dwarf cichlids.

There are lots to choose from.

You can add other fish with them.

Most are easy to breed and very interesting to watch with their young as they escort them round the aquarium from pit to pit in search of food.

If you go with a 75gl tank you can set up a harem with 1 male as 3 to 4 females and watch the male wander from female to female but if you do that make sure that the females have plenty of caves, flower pots coconut shells and bog wood and the like with tall plants to define the Territory's.

my favorite Dwarf cichlids are

Apistogramma borelli
Apistogramma cacatuoides
Apistogramma hongsloi
Apistogramma inconspicua
Pelvicachromis pulcher (krib)

all these can be kept with Tetras and small Barbs Like

Neon tetras, Cardinal tetras, Glass catfish, Tiger barbs and the like.

I would have 1 x Male Dwarf cichlid, 3 x Female Dwarf cichlid, 10 x Tetras, 10 x Small Barbs, 6 x rasboras, 6 x Corys and 10 x Hatchet fish.

 

[PufferFishRule]

any pictures of these cichlids? any bright colored ones?

 

[vancouver]

Severums are quite bright.. can get them in yellow and green.. not normally extremely aggressive..

Rainbow cichlids can sometimes be bright if you get quality ones..

I have used sand and gravel with my cichlids.. Personally I prefer gravel as it's easier to clean. They probably prefer sand as they like to dig around.

 

[PufferFishRule]

wouldnt the neons become fish food as they are very tiny compared to the cichlids?

 

[cookie101]

most dwarf cichlids only grow to 4-5 in and when you perches the dwarf cichlid they are usually around 2 in and the neon around 1 in if purchesed around the same time they will grow with the cichlid and by the time the chichlids are 4-5 inch the neons are around 1.5 inch to 2 inch and to quick for the cichlids.

i'v kept dwarf chichlids with neons with no problems.

 

[LisaLQ]

Rainbow cichlids would be perfect, they're colourful, and also peaceful so you could keep them with community fish (even smaller tetras aren't on their menu)

Pics of mine:

You could easily have a pair in your tank, and with them being quite small (4-5"), you could have a pair of rams or keyholes in there with them? Then some tetras or shoaling fish, cories and the like? Or if you really like colour, you cant beat angel fish - only problem being, as we've found out this week, when they breed they get rather aggressive (especially with their own kind) so you'd have to stick to one pair, and get hardy fish in there with them (larger tetras, bristlenose plec perhaps?).