i want more fish in my tank please HELP!

C

cichlids

Members
i got a 55 gallon (48x12x21) with sand, driftwood, marimo balls, java moss and some fake plants. In fish i have ONE 5 inch frontosa, ONE 5 inch cyrtocara moorii, ONE 3 inch black convict and an albino (pink) convict also 3 inches (which have bred and in a month or two i will add the fry to the tank), ONE 2 inch bolivian ram, ONE 1 inch german ram, and ONE 5 inch pleco. they all actually get along really well even though i have a combination of diferent type of cichlids but i was wondering if i could put anything else in there? as in a fish??? i'm normally pretty good at this but now i seem to be stuck! :/. can someone help??? also if you have a comment, concern maybe, or just WHATEVER, please let me know and i will gladly listen. thanks to all:)
 
DiscusnAfricans

DiscusnAfricans

Past President
The frontosa will either get bullied, or will eat everything once it gets big enough. The dolphins can be quite sheepish too but won't get much bigger. I'd pull those guys, as well as what Jon mentioned, and more suited stuff like a school of tetras/barbs or angels.
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
That stock list sort of runs the gamut of cichlids in terms of size, aggression and water requirements.

Like Mike said, the Front and C. moori don't really fit into that arrangement. Those guys can be kept together, but in a larger tank and without something as nippy and territorial as convicts. It's like keeping a horse in barn stall with a couple of wolverines. It won't end well.
 
dogofwar

dogofwar

CCA Members
...or Honey Badgers....

Matt

Tony said:
That stock list sort of runs the gamut of cichlids in terms of size, aggression and water requirements.

Like Mike said, the Front and C. moori don't really fit into that arrangement. Those guys can be kept together, but in a larger tank and without something as nippy and territorial as convicts. It's like keeping a horse in barn stall with a couple of wolverines. It won't end well.
Click to expand...
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
dogofwar said:
...or Honey Badgers....
Click to expand...

I saw a very well done documentary on the honey badger one time on Youtube. He ate a cobra and everything.

Magnificent creatures indeed...

On level with the Alligator snapping turtle, probably not, but nonetheless, magnificent.
 
C

cichlids

Members
well i took into advice with what everyone said and i was actually thinking of selling the dolphin and frontosa so i posted an ad and got 35 bucks for them so now they are not in the picture. now its just all S.A in there. WHAT ELSE CAN I ADD IN THERE NOW?
 
C

cichlids

Members
the rams have actually been together with the convicts before for quite some time now AND have bred with them in the same tank and theyre still alive and well...
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
Kevin -- good for you for taking the advice of experienced CCA members and working toward getting your tank stocked more appropriately. But you need to consider that just because two species of fish have lived together up until now does not mean you will not wake up one morning to shredded fins or dead fish. You need to listen to those who say the blue rams and the convicts should not be together. (I don't personally know, but I trust those who have said they cannot.)

To figure out where you want to go with your tank, you need to do some research and narrow down what you like. www.cichlidforum.com is a great place to do species research.

If you want to keep your blue rams, then you should look for something mild and compatible with them. Perhaps curviceps or key holes. If you like the convicts, then stick with them and think of what goes with them (I have no idea.) You also need to figure out if you like pairing fish, which might limit you as you probably can only do two pairs in a 55 or fish that can be in groups -- bolivian rams generally can be kept in groups of five, for example. Apistos are worth considering but they can be a bit tricky and it depends on whether or not you're fastidious with your water changes and willing to keep the water on the soft side.

Just my two cents . . .
 
mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
Holly's advice, as usual, is right. If you keep the rams, you could add more rams (say another pair). You also could add some tetras and some corydoras.

I've never kept convicts, so can't make any suggestions for tank mates for them.


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Azraphael

Azraphael

Members
Call me a stick-in-the-mud, I may be new to the forum but been keeping cichlids for years.

For stocking you need to research your fishies mate. In this subject I'm sure there are hundreds on here with a combined world of knowledge and Google is your friend (in general respects).

forget compatibility charts, look at the regions your fish are from, even central and SA cichlids are evolved to differing water parameters to thrive. Personally if your starting out in the world of cichlids I would concentrate on specific regions, a cichlid in a region community tank will do better than a size community, for example cichlids of South America as opposed to just dwarf vocalists.

On a side note, cichlids are generally a messy fish and your Pleco as he/she gets older is gonna do a naff job of aiding keeping the tank clean and in some cases can be just as messy, maybe consider some catfish to help out like a nice shoal of pictus cats.

Some people will probably disagree with what I've said but the best advice I can offer before you buy/sell/buy/sell (and we've all done it) is read, read, read

Good luck :)

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Avatar

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Bold text all caps exclamation point?

From the title of this thread one would think there was some sort of crisis brewing as opposed to an opportunity...

I'd relax and do some research online so as to savor the possibilities. The desperate pleading approach is misplaced, and absent your own research you'll simply be at the mercy of others' opinions/prejudices. That's not to say that the opinions expressed this far haven't been excellent, only that you could maybe bring a little more to the table, than "HELP!"

.:D
 
C

cichlids

Members
From the title of this thread one would think there was some sort of crisis brewing as opposed to an opportunity...

I'd relax and do some research online so as to savor the possibilities. The desperate pleading approach is misplaced, and absent your own research you'll simply be at the mercy of others' opinions/prejudices. That's not to say that the opinions expressed this far haven't been excellent, only that you could maybe bring a little more to the table, than "HELP!"

.:D
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the only thing that i ment when i put the word help in my subject was just as a question if somebody would please just help me on figuring this out. look im new to this association and only joined because i have friends that are member of this group and they have told me that its the best place to ask, buy, sell, trade, or whatever you need regardless of what it was as long as it had something to do with the hobby. i have keep cichlids for quite some time now but fish for me just come and go like money bc i like to buy, sell, and trade fish so i dont really keep them that long. but now i have decided that i want to settle down and just keep fish in my tank and just have them as display even if they bred or not, doesnt matter. the fish i mentioned were the fish i currently had thats why i was asking on them if somebody would help me with compatability, but if you dont have NOTHING WHAT. SO. EVER. to say about my question then dont even bother on posting something here to me about it. like they say, ''if you dont have nothing nice to say then keep your mouth shut.'' this isnt a desperate plead for help. its just a question for help. i'd appreciate it if you would just stay out of this for now and help someone else regardless of who you are b/c quite frankly i just dont seem to care at this point. thank you very much and have a nice day "avatar."
 
Avatar

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
i want more fish in my tank please HELP!

cichlids said:
i got a 55 gallon (48x12x21) with sand, driftwood, marimo balls, java moss and some fake plants. In fish i have ONE 5 inch frontosa, ONE 5 inch cyrtocara moorii, ONE 3 inch black convict and an albino (pink) convict also 3 inches (which have bred and in a month or two i will add the fry to the tank), ONE 2 inch bolivian ram, ONE 1 inch german ram, and ONE 5 inch pleco. they all actually get along really well even though i have a combination of diferent type of cichlids but i was wondering if i could put anything else in there? as in a fish??? i'm normally pretty good at this but now i seem to be stuck! :/. can someone help??? also if you have a comment, concern maybe, or just WHATEVER, please let me know and i will gladly listen. thanks to all:)
Click to expand...

cichlids said:
the only thing that i ment when i put the word help in my subject was just as a question if somebody would please just help me on figuring this out. look im new to this association and only joined because i have friends that are member of this group and they have told me that its the best place to ask, buy, sell, trade, or whatever you need regardless of what it was as long as it had something to do with the hobby. i have keep cichlids for quite some time now but fish for me just come and go like money bc i like to buy, sell, and trade fish so i dont really keep them that long. but now i have decided that i want to settle down and just keep fish in my tank and just have them as display even if they bred or not, doesnt matter. the fish i mentioned were the fish i currently had thats why i was asking on them if somebody would help me with compatability, but if you dont have NOTHING WHAT. SO. EVER. to say about my question then dont even bother on posting something here to me about it. like they say, ''if you dont have nothing nice to say then keep your mouth shut.'' this isnt a desperate plead for help. its just a question for help. i'd appreciate it if you would just stay out of this for now and help someone else regardless of who you are b/c quite frankly i just dont seem to care at this point. thank you very much and have a nice day "avatar."
Click to expand...

And if you'd put half as much energy into substance as you do petty drama you might have a post worth commenting on. Or maybe not...doesn't appear to be your forte.

Cheers

"If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me."- Dorothy Parker
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
Kevin -- please re-read my post and do some research and come back with what you like or what you're leaning towards and we'd be happy to help. . . .

Holly
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
Azraphael said:
For stocking you need to research your fishies mate. In this subject I'm sure there are hundreds on here with a combined world of knowledge and Google is your friend (in general respects).

forget compatibility charts, look at the regions your fish are from, even central and SA cichlids are evolved to differing water parameters to thrive. Personally if your starting out in the world of cichlids I would concentrate on specific regions, a cichlid in a region community tank will do better than a size community, for example cichlids of South America as opposed to just dwarf vocalists.
Click to expand...

Dave nailed it.
 
C

cichlids

Members
will do holly and thank you so much. your post was really helpful and i Will come back when i got something in mind to see how you can assist me there. :)
 
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