Can Cichlids Be In a Community?

[dsilvers]

If we had a big group of them, say 10...hypothetically, could they be in a 40 gallon tank with other fish, like our glass catfish and neons?

[Bearfan]

Not for long with the neons. I don't like mixing agressive with community, it stresses out the community far too much. I don't recommend it.

[dsilvers]

I figured. I read that SOME are are peaceful, but most are aggressive. I saw this beautiful store by my fiance's mom's house. This guy only raises Cichlids. Has for years. beautiful fish. he said with Some and this is rare, if they are in a big enough group and the tank is big enough, they will not have time to be aggressive. It's in smaller numbers that they don't school as much and pick on other fish. But I guess we will contemplate a Cichlid only tank. Why chance it...

[Biggen]

From what I have read most bigger Cichilds will eat the neons, like Bearfan suggested.

I am actually going to buy some Keyholes and German blue Rams, two of each species, and put them in my community tank. I have no neons and the other fish are just as big/faster than those cichlids would be. From what I have read, Rams and Keyholes make, for the most part, great community fish. But they are still cichlids and your results will vary. I may pick some up this weekend and see what happens.

[Electrobes]

cichlids are generally hot tempered plus remember that cichlids get big. In a forty gallon tank.. having that number of cichlids, and then smaller fish around them will probably not last too long. They'll either go MIA the second they get hungry, or get stressed to death.

[Stephanie]

I recently gave my pleco to a lfs because it unfortunately outgrew my tank. They put it in a tank with small cichlids. I went back yesterday and checked on my former fish. To my horror its once beautiful fins were torn to shreds. I was furious that the owner of the store allowed to happen. Fish with larger fins do not mix with cichlids! And I'd be very cautious when adding any fish to a cichlid tank.

[brotherd]

Nothing much to add.Try to match size,temperament and water conditions/origin.I lost all my Zebra Danios due to beginners ignorance on my part.Check here often with questions and by all means use Google search.Research first!

[Quake2player]

I've had 2 keyhoole chichlids for about 6 months now in my community aquarium and highly recommend them. They dont assault any of the other fish (cherry barbs, neons, rasboras, cory cats, lemon tetras) and are even peaceful to each other. Some natural aggression comes about during feedings, but that's with most fish anyway. In all my readings, they're considered to be among the most peaceful cichlids around.

I had a Blue Ram for a couple of months... another peaceful cichlid... it got sick somehow... a bloated stomach and it was downhill from there. The RAM was beautiful.

I'd like to know about other people's experiences with dwarf, peaceful cichlids too... (ie., apistos, peacocks?, brichardis... are these peaceful?)