Cichlid keeping questions

[jessie9309]

I'm picking out fish to put in my tank and I was wondering about cichlids. How many of each species should I put in? I'm looking at kribs, Rams, keyhole, and peacock they are all from 3.5 to 5 inches long as adults. Should I put them in as pairs or in groups, or just as one per kind? Also, would they eat a tetra that is 1.5 to 2 inches long, so you think?

 

[NigelK8485]

Well you couldn't keep those all together. You'd need to decide which you were going for and base your stocking off that. Peacocks for instance are usually only kept with other lake Malawi cichlids, and it's best to overstock and introduce all at once so it doesn't give any fish an advantage in claiming territory. If you're planning on doing smaller fish such as tetras, which should be kept in groups of 5+, you'll want to introduce them first so they have time to learn the layout. Basically you want to stock from least aggressive to most aggressive. If you have two or more fish that are equal in territoriality and aggressiveness, such as two of the same cichlids, you introduce them at the same time. It's all about not giving any one particular fish an advantage in claiming territory.


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[TheresaM]

I agree with the above response. Also, what size is the tank?

 

[jessie9309]

I think I may have it this time haha.
56 gallon tank. 4 flower shrimp, 6 bleeding heart tetra, 4 emperor tetra, 6 silver hatchetfish, 1 krib cichlid, 1 blue ram cichlid, and 2 pearl gourami. After research I did take the peacock out. So how does this sound?

 

[ImACoolguy]

I think I may have it this time haha.
56 gallon tank. 4 flower shrimp, 6 bleeding heart tetra, 4 emperor tetra, 6 silver hatchetfish, 1 krib cichlid, 1 blue ram cichlid, and 2 pearl gourami. After research I did take the peacock out. So how does this sound?

Only 1 gourami to prevent aggression issues.


Caleb

~10g tiger barbs
~45g ick problems/loach and 5 tetras left.
~75g going to be African cichlids

 

[ImACoolguy]

Other than that it looks okay, just beware baby shrimp could be a snack to almost any decent sized fish.


Caleb

~10g tiger barbs
~45g ick problems/loach and 5 tetras left.
~75g going to be African cichlids

 

[NigelK8485]

Flower shrimp are filter feeders. They need an established tank so that they have something to feed off of. Also, the emperor tetras need at least five, preferably more. The blue rams also need an established tank and are kind of difficult to keep. The rams, kribs, and gouramis all do better in pairs rather than one single fish of each type. I'd recommend selecting one type and doing a pair, for the gourami you would need one male and a few females because he'll terrorize just a single female. If you went with rams I'd steer clear of the blue ram and go with the Bolivian.


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[jessie9309]

With the Rams, kribs, and gouramis, would it be better to have a pair with a male and a female, or a pair with two of the same gender?

 

[jessie9309]

What if I went with 4 flower shrimp, 6 bleeding heart tetras, 6 emperor tetras, 6 silver hatchetfish, 2 krib, and 2 pearl gourami? Could I get two gourami if they are both female, possibly? And should the krib be both of the same gender?

 

[NigelK8485]

I'd aim for a male and female, just provide plenty of hiding places for the other fish in case of breeding.


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[jessie9309]

Even with the gourami? I don't want the poor girl to be chased to death

 

[NigelK8485]

I think you're trying to stuff too many fish in not a lot of space. Your tank is only 30" long. The kribs and gouramis are territorial and aggressive whether they are breeding or not, breeding just makes them even more amped up. I'm not overly experienced in these particular fish though so hopefully someone who has firsthand experience will be able to chime in and tell you what they would do. I understock my tanks, so if it were me I would go a completely different route.


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[loachy dance]

Gourami ladies are tougher then they look and like to be woo'd. My previous experience with them led to the female trying to eat the male that was flirting with her. Poor form.

 

[ImACoolguy]

As with every fish it really depends on their personality. Watch them at the LFS. Are they chasing others around? Are they all calm and get along? I had a gourami and he was a wus! He was scared of tetras haha and would hide in my plants.

Trying to pick one more gentle out of the group is the best you can do if you really want more than one. Breeding is an exception because that's like flipping the aggression switch.


Caleb

~10g tiger barbs
~45g ick problems/loach and 5 tetras left.
~75g going to be African cichlids

 

[jessie9309]

I don't necessarily want more than one, I could live with one, I just don't want it to be lonely. I also don't want it be be chased to death or eaten by its potential mate lol.
Do you think it would still be considered over stocked if I took the gourami out?

 

[loachy dance]

It might be fine. Its just something you have to watch. I think some species are more individualized then pthers. Thats why i think my loaches and plecs get names and the neons are just called the robots.

I only have one more concern for the tank, and it may not even be an issue, but gourami and hatchets are both top swimmers and gourami are slowish and hatchets are like world class athletes, so u need to make sure they are getting fed enuff and not outcompeted by that school.