Hey everyone,
I had a tragedy last week. For years, I kept my 60g tank going strong and healthy. I had grown quite attached to my fish family, as many of you understand. Then we were hit with the blizzard. I lost power for just over 100 hours, which means I lost heat and my house dropped to 34 degrees. Despite all my heroic efforts, I could not keep my tank warm enough and lost all my fish.
I have had a period of mourning, as I kept filtering the empty tank and got it cleaned up. And now I am turning towards the hope of re-stocking it. However, I do not simply want to replace the same fish I had before (angels, pictus cats, gouramis, molies). I want to do something different, and this has me looking at a cichlid tank. Basically, I am looking at three options:
1) Oscar tank (one)
2) African cichlids
3) South American cichlids
I love the idea of keeping an oscar. But my research is telling me no on this. My 60g is just about an inch deeper and 2 inches taller than a long 55g, and I see these are generally too small for an oscar once they are full grown. Even if I did pull it off, the possibility of having some tank mates with the oscar would be ruled out. And I do not want to buy another larger tank. So... I am letting go of the oscar hope, unless you convince me it isn't such a bad plan after all.
That brings me to a general cichlid tank. I know I should not mix Africans with South Americans because of different water conditions. I like some from both groups... convicts, electric blue, jack dempsey, bumblebee... and I cannot decide which road to go down.
Do you recommend one over the other. Or, perhaps the better question: What do you see as the differences or advantages/disadvantages in keeping an African tank or a South American tank?
Any help, advice, or suggestions are certainly appreciated! Thanks!
FYI: The tank has an AquaClear 110 power filter on the back, gravel, and is decorated with a few fake plants and a couple pieces of driftwood right now... one large center piece and on that forms a tunnel.
I had a tragedy last week. For years, I kept my 60g tank going strong and healthy. I had grown quite attached to my fish family, as many of you understand. Then we were hit with the blizzard. I lost power for just over 100 hours, which means I lost heat and my house dropped to 34 degrees. Despite all my heroic efforts, I could not keep my tank warm enough and lost all my fish.
I have had a period of mourning, as I kept filtering the empty tank and got it cleaned up. And now I am turning towards the hope of re-stocking it. However, I do not simply want to replace the same fish I had before (angels, pictus cats, gouramis, molies). I want to do something different, and this has me looking at a cichlid tank. Basically, I am looking at three options:
1) Oscar tank (one)
2) African cichlids
3) South American cichlids
I love the idea of keeping an oscar. But my research is telling me no on this. My 60g is just about an inch deeper and 2 inches taller than a long 55g, and I see these are generally too small for an oscar once they are full grown. Even if I did pull it off, the possibility of having some tank mates with the oscar would be ruled out. And I do not want to buy another larger tank. So... I am letting go of the oscar hope, unless you convince me it isn't such a bad plan after all.
That brings me to a general cichlid tank. I know I should not mix Africans with South Americans because of different water conditions. I like some from both groups... convicts, electric blue, jack dempsey, bumblebee... and I cannot decide which road to go down.
Do you recommend one over the other. Or, perhaps the better question: What do you see as the differences or advantages/disadvantages in keeping an African tank or a South American tank?
Any help, advice, or suggestions are certainly appreciated! Thanks!
FYI: The tank has an AquaClear 110 power filter on the back, gravel, and is decorated with a few fake plants and a couple pieces of driftwood right now... one large center piece and on that forms a tunnel.
Last edited: