Could I get a cichlid with my other fish?

[NoFishingAllowed]

I REALLY have fell in love with the cichlids at my sons school. They are so interactive! Can anyone recommend one (or two) that would do well in my tank? Here is what is in my tank:

4 cories
6 mollies
3 guppies

Its 37 gallons.

 

[Fishguy2727]

You could do a pair of rams or some other dwarf cichlid.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Kribs, keyholes, angels, and African butterfly cichlids is all I can think of plus what fishguy has said..

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

how big is the tank?
and im not sure why people are reccomending cichlids with GUPPIES and the others. even cichlid FRY kill guppy fry! i should know!
u want to keep the fish you have? u need another tank. even angels are risky with guppies.

 

[jetajockey]

Even guppies kill guppy fry.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

what i meant was if they behave this way even as fry (fully incompatible) than how do they survive as adults?
guppies get to like 2 inches ish and dwarfs get to like 4 minimum, need lots of space and different living conditions like temp, food and hardness.

 

[jetajockey]

I don't see why they would be incompatible, there are thousands of cichlid species, including hundreds of dwarf species.

I've kept guppies and endlers with my breeding group of rams without any issue. I don't know of any rams that get even close to 4", let alone a 4" minimum, and it seems the same for the few hundred species of apistos, typically maxing out around 3" give or take.

I've also kept endlers with shelldwellers without any issue.

Some dwarf cichlids probably eat some newborn fry, but that's about it, for the most part they mind their own business.

 

[severum mama]

what i meant was if they behave this way even as fry (fully incompatible) than how do they survive as adults?
guppies get to like 2 inches ish and dwarfs get to like 4 minimum, need lots of space and different living conditions like temp, food and hardness.

The biggest Apistogramma I have ever seen was about 4.5 inches. I've kept 15 or so species of Apistogramma as well as German blue and Bolivian rams, kribs, and dwarf acara, and I can assure you that a dwarf cichlid that size is the exception rather than the rule.

Still, they pose a threat to fry and some larger specimens can pose a threat to young adults and even adult gups. IMO dwarf cichlids and guppies might be a good match for someone that doesn't want to mess with raising fry.

 

[DragonFish71]

Guppy fry are a great food for conditioning a breeding pair of dwarf cichlids or angels. As for being picked on, my rams, angels and kribs don't pick on the guppies, they only eat the fry.

Jus' sayin'

As for being picked on, my rams, angels and kribs don't pick on the guppies, they only eat the fry and the guppy fry (should any survive) have never picked on any of my cichlid fry.

 

[Fishguy2727]

The dwarf cichlids won't kill adult guppies (unless you starve them) so it doesn't matter. As stated, adult guppies will kill guppy fry, so if fry production is a goal there needs to be a separate fry tank anyways.

 

[Aspencer]

Guppy fry are a great food for conditioning a breeding pair of dwarf cichlids or angels. As for being picked on, my rams, angels and kribs don't pick on the guppies, they only eat thefry

I totally agree...I keep my endler's with a pair of Kribs and they live peacefully together.

 

[NoFishingAllowed]

how big is the tank?
and im not sure why people are reccomending cichlids with GUPPIES and the others. even cichlid FRY kill guppy fry! i should know!
u want to keep the fish you have? u need another tank. even angels are risky with guppies.

It's 37 gallons.

 

[NoFishingAllowed]

The dwarf cichlids won't kill adult guppies (unless you starve them) so it doesn't matter. As stated, adult guppies will kill guppy fry, so if fry production is a goal there needs to be a separate fry tank anyways.

I have a 20 gallon for fry

 

[NoFishingAllowed]

I LOVE the blue rams!! Thanks for the advice everyone!