Really High Ph - Problem

[Sillyfishies]

Tbh I would ditch the rainbows. They're just to aggressive. And few have success with keeping 2 in 100 gallon+ tanks. Instead of 2 rainbows maybe 2 angels?

 

[Soupy97]

Angels aren't a bad idea. Is the 40 breeder tall enough at 17 inches?

 

[5x5]

For the record: below 7 is acidic, above 7 is alkaline...6.8-7.4 is (or basically is) neutral.

I also wouldn't recommend so many bottom dwelling cichlids for a tank like that, you'll end up with territorial disputes and most likely deaths from stress. Rainbows are mellow, bu will still be bossy. I'd pick one species (not breed, fish go by species or variant/locale, breed refers to different types within a species, like dogs, which are all he same species, canis familiaris) and depending on that species, either get a pair, or a harem. Apistogramma cacatuoides for instance, prefers to be in a harem, with one male to 2-3 females.

Rainbows are interesting when it comes to aggression. They are often considered mellow because they do not harass and chase other fish. They are not as much of pushovers though like keyholes. I regularly observe my rainbow fighting with a fairly large male convict and getting the better of it.

That said, I expect they would coexist peacefully with keyholes and community fish for the most part.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Well they are Central Americans after all, but to say they need a 100 gallon for 2 individuals is just plain asinine. These are not festae we're talking about. They chase a bit, and will hold their own, but they are not "aggressive". My blue acara is way more nasty then my rainbows!

My rainbows coexist with two gymnogeophagus balzani the size so a nickel, 3 angels the size of a quarter, 6 cories at just under an inch long, and 13 lemon tetras and not one of them gets picked on by the rainbows. Not one. The keyholes receive a little bit of chasing when the encroach on the rainbows territory, which is where I can see an issue coming up in a 40 breeder, as mine is in a 75, but give enough places to hide, and enough breaks in the line of sight, it could work.

One of my rainbows actually got shredded in it's previous home because it was too mellow. It was in with BABY eartheaters and Severums!

I will say that it seems they would work out a bit better with hardier species, like fire mouths (you keep them with meeki, right 5x5? Or maybe that's someone else) or cryptoheros/amatitlania species, but I think with the keyholes is that they won't fight back, so the fight never escalates

 

[5x5]

Well they are Central Americans after all, but to say they need a 100 gallon for 2 individuals is just plain asinine. These are not festae we're talking about. They chase a bit, and will hold their own, but they are not "aggressive". My blue acara is way more nasty then my rainbows!

My rainbows coexist with two gymnogeophagus balzani the size so a nickel, 3 angels the size of a quarter, 6 cories at just under an inch long, and 13 lemon tetras and not one of them gets picked on by the rainbows. Not one. The keyholes receive a little bit of chasing when the encroach on the rainbows territory, which is where I can see an issue coming up in a 40 breeder, as mine is in a 75, but give enough places to hide, and enough breaks in the line of sight, it could work.

One of my rainbows actually got shredded in it's previous home because it was too mellow. It was in with BABY eartheaters and Severums!

I will say that it seems they would work out a bit better with hardier species, like fire mouths (you keep them with meeki, right 5x5? Or maybe that's someone else) or cryptoheros/amatitlania species, but I think with the keyholes is that they won't fight back, so the fight never escalates

I currently keep my rainbow with a regular black convict, but I am planning on adding him to my firemouth tank in the next few months. They are all similar size at this point and I think they will do well together.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Then maybe it was your chocolate in with the meeki then? My memory can be so terrible at times

 

[Soupy97]

Yeah I have been worried about the rainbow cichlids. Im thinking I might keep two keyholes but just leave 1 rainbow cichlid in the tank to reduce aggression. That way I will have a little less of a bio load on the filter too, because Im getting a lot of fish. I might switch the rainbow fish with tetras because as far as I know rainbow fish can be messy and with a lot of fish already that might be a problem.

Would two plecos be an ok substitute for a shoal of cories?

 

[Freakgecko91]

In the ends its up to you lol you don't have to have cories. But the job they do is nice, they sift through the sand and eat the food that the other fish don't get to, as well as aerate the sand a bit. You don't have to have them, they're just a nice touch in a south/central American cichlid tank IMO. I would stick with one pleco due to their bioload to be honest, depending on the species that is. A couple of bristlenose would work, but a green phantom and another larger species would be a lot

 

[Soupy97]

Alright then. I guess I'll just see how things go, I was just a little worried about overstocking my tank. I do like the idea of cories

 

[Freakgecko91]

Like I said, stock slowly, your stock list is bound to change as you visit different fish stores and find new species you like