Colorful cichlids that can be housed with-

[Piratechest]

School of tiger barbs who have a strict code of nipping themselves and no other tank mates. A school of oto cats, 2 mollies and 2 platy's. In a 55g heavily planted with a lot of hiding holes. I'm looking for a lot of pop in color.
I was advised to not get gbr's help cichlid people. :s

 

[josh7]

I think GBRs are your best bet or cockatoo cichlids a German blue pair would do fine though.

 

[Bichir Bro]

I think GBRs are your best bet or cockatoo cichlids a German blue pair would do fine though.

IMO cockatoos may be too sensitive with tiger barbs. Even If they don't nip they're still pretty rowdy fish and I don't think that a cockatoo could handle that. A fire mouth cichlid would be a better choice I think.

 

[josh7]

IMO cockatoos may be too sensitive with tiger barbs. Even If they don't nip they're still pretty rowdy fish and I don't think that a cockatoo could handle that. A fire mouth cichlid would be a better choice I think.

That's true they will probably get best up good point! I was just worried about the other fish. Getting beat up by a firemouth

 

[Bichir Bro]

Fire mouths are pretty laid back so I don't think there will be any issues unless breeding.

 

[josh7]

Yah I have just had some in the past that were little devils.

 

[Bichir Bro]

Yah I have just had some in the past that were little devils.

really? Wow I was always under the impression they're the more peaceful cichlid.

 

[Piratechest]

really? Wow I was always under the impression they're the more peaceful cichlid.

I was thinking Maybe a pair of fire mouths. But I've been looking at bolivian rams an they look pretty astonishing. Think it'll be a hit or miss?

 

[Bichir Bro]

Uh I'll leave that up to someone else, I'm not too experienced in the dwarf cichlid world.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I was thinking Maybe a pair of fire mouths. But I've been looking at bolivian rams an they look pretty astonishing. Think it'll be a hit or miss?

They would fit well with your stock

 

[Freakgecko91]

I was thinking Maybe a pair of fire mouths. But I've been looking at bolivian rams an they look pretty astonishing. Think it'll be a hit or miss?

Look into other species of thorichthys other than meeki (firemouth) like aureum or passiones. They're a little less aggressive than meeki, but tough enough to hold their own. There are more options than just those, like many cryptoheros sp. I can go more in depth later, I'm not home right now

 

[bettaowner]

Pelvicachromis pulcher might work. Only one so you won't need to worry about aggression during breeding

 

[josh7]

Bolivian rams would do well. My votes in for them or German Rams.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Kribs would also be a good choice I agree

 

[Piratechest]

Look into other species of thorichthys other than meeki (firemouth) like aureum or passiones. They're a little less aggressive than meeki, but tough enough to hold their own. There are more options than just those, like many cryptoheros sp. I can go more in depth later, I'm not home right now

whenever you get the chance, I'm in no rush. But there are so many species to choose from an I'm just not sure which are compatible. I'm completely new to the cichlid world. Just trying to do massive research before I hop on the field.

 

[Freakgecko91]

My best advice is to go to your LFS, or a few if possible, and make as list of all the cichlids you see. No need to write down any of the rift lake cichlids ("African cichlids", basically any cichlid from Lake Malawi, Tanganyika, or Victoria). From there, we can narrow down what would be your best choice.

I would suggest a species of cryptoheros, although they aren't all that common, they still can be found. I just happened upon cryptoheros nanoluteus the other day at a random fish store. But I would suggest looking into the following species (gonna use latin names mostly because so many fish have a ton of common names it can get more confusing, but I'll try to include common names when possible).

Cryptoheros nanoluteus
Cryptoheros sajica (T bar cichlid)
Cryptoheros cutteri (blue eyed cichlid)
Cryptoheros spilurus (Jade eye cichlid)
Cryptoheros panamense (Panamense cichlid, beautiful cichlid, highly conspecific aggressive though)
Amatitlania sp. Honduran Red Point (Honduran Red Point)
Thorichthys meeki (firemouth)
Thorichthys aureum (Green firemouth)
Thorichthys pasionis (Yellow firemouth)
Thorichthys maculipinnis (Ellioti firemouth)
Archocentrus multispinosa (Rainbow cichlid)
Cleithracara maronii (Keyhole cichlid)
~Aequidens pulcher (Blue acara, not a guaranteed-to-work species, are hit or miss really)
~Aequidens metae (Yellow acara)
~Aequidens portalegrensis (Port cichlid)
Aequidens diadema
Acarichthys heckelli (Heckell's cichlid)
Australoheros sp. Red Ceibal (Red ceibal)
*Crenicichla regani (Regan's Pike Cichlid)
*Crenicichla compressiceps (Dwarf green pike cichlid)
~Heros esfasciatus (Green/gold severum)
~Heros sp. Rotkeil (Rotkeil severum)
Laetacara thayeri
Mesonauta festivus (festivum)
Phterophyllum scalare (Freshwater angelfish)
Biotodoma cupido (Cupid cichlid)
Pelvicachromis pulcher (Kribensis cichlid)
Pelvicachromis taeniatus

*mean that these aren't exactly good for a beginner. Most of these species are gonna be fairly easy if you keep your water clean and your parameters in check. Most stay under 6", but I will mark those larger species with a "~". This is a good list to get your research started. I suggest googling each species, seeing what you like and what you don't, and take a list of what you like to your LFS, or to a few as I suggested earlier. I tried not to list too many of the hard-to-find species, but these are ALL species I have seen myself at a LFS (although I have a fantastic LFS that carries many of the rarer species). Good luck! Feel free to PM me with any questions

 

[Piratechest]

That was a brilliantly composed list! +5 I'll be going around to my lfs's sometime this week doing some extensive research, and this list will be my guide! Still one of my questions was unanswered though! What are the more colorful species? With a lot of pop. Also how could I pick out the most colorful one? I hear red bellies for some species.

 

[Freakgecko91]

That was a brilliantly composed list! +5 I'll be going around to my lfs's sometime this week doing some extensive research, and this list will be my guide! Still one of my questions was unanswered though! What are the more colorful species? With a lot of pop. Also how could I pick out the most colorful one? I hear red bellies for some species.

What colors are you looking for, typically new worlds aren't very colorful or vibrant, more of a subtle color, but don't get me wrong, some pop in their own way, especially thorichthys species IMO as well as cryptoheros