stocking SA cichlid

[JF213]

I am planning on slowly starting a SA cichlid tank. I have questions but mainly looking for suggestions. I currently have a 50 gallon tank with white sand.

Current stock:
1 angel fish
2 black neon
2 Lamp Eye Tetra
2 otocinclus

I would love to add:
2 Apistogramma cacatuoides (can I get different colors or must the 2 be the same)
2 Rams (leaning toward Bolivian Ram)

Can I add more cichlids or am I maxed out? I do have a lot of hiding spaces throughout the tank, at all levels (bottom, middle, and top). I am also looking to add more fish to the tank (dither fish) that will compliment the color of these fish. I am not planning on adding everything at once, just looking for a long term goal.

Thank you for your help.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I am planning on slowly starting a SA cichlid tank. I have questions but mainly looking for suggestions. I currently have a 50 gallon tank with white sand.

Current stock:
1 angel fish
2 black neon
2 Lamp Eye Tetra
2 otocinclus

I would love to add:
2 Apistogramma cacatuoides (can I get different colors or must the 2 be the same)
2 Rams (leaning toward Bolivian Ram)

Can I add more cichlids or am I maxed out? I do have a lot of hiding spaces throughout the tank, at all levels (bottom, middle, and top). I am also looking to add more fish to the tank (dither fish) that will compliment the color of these fish. I am not planning on adding everything at once, just looking for a long term goal.

Thank you for your help.

First of all bump this tetras up to a school of 6-8 each. Then you should be okay adding those two together never personally mixed mikrogeophagus ramirezi and apistogramma but it could work. I'd just do one pair of each.

 

[JF213]

Would I be better off with another pair (then the Bolivian) to go with the Apistos? What do you usually mix with them?

 

[Freakgecko91]

Personally I would fill out the tetra school(s) and add a pair of keyhole cichlids, and a pair of rams (given your water change schedule is adequate)

 

[JF213]

Is there a reason why you would choose keyholes over Apistos? Is it due to the temperament of the species or anything like that?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Keyholes are very docile and a bit larger I know that, but apistos are my fish lol that's why I picked them.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Territory. Keyholes don't stake out claim like many other cichlids, and two males will coexist peacefully

 

[JF213]

Last question. Is an emerald Cory necessary or will the Otocinclus handle the food at the bottom of the tank?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

No fish is necessary for clean up, that's you and your gravel vacs job. That said the corys will eat more off the bottom than the otos

 

[JF213]

Thank you for all of your help so far. I am definitely planning on fishing my 2 schools of fish first (Tetras). I will bring them up to 7 fish per school. Also learned that I do not need the cory fish for the tank.

I am now wondering if I I need to add an angel fish, so that my current angel has a partner or if it is better to keep the angel fish solo. I have also read on a lot of threads that it might be better to get 3 dwarf cichlids rather than a pair. I just wanted to confirm that I am headed in the right direction with the 2 pairs of cichlid that I want to add (whether it is the bolivian ram and apistos or bolivian ram and keyhole).

I am still thinking that the apistos would add some needed color to my tank over the keyholes. I want the cichlids to really be the main focus in the tank. I original wanted Apistogramma cacatuoides (cockatoo dwarf cichlid). Since you seem to know a lot about the apistos, is there another dwarf version that I should go with to complement the cockatoo dwarf cichlid rather then the rams?

Thank you again for all of your help.

 

[JF213]

Hello everyone,

I am still wondering if i should get another angelfish or if the 1 will be strong enough by itself so that it is not picked on.

Also do the cichlids do better in pairs or trios?

Thank you for your feedback.

 

[Khazmachi]

I'd stick to one Angel. They do great by themselves. Two could be asking for trouble. If they pair and breed they will become very aggressive to all other tank mates, and if they don't pair they will fight each other for territory. They also are pretty large, so that will limit the amount of other fish you can keep. I have three in my 75 and the two largest are facing off all the time even with that much space and lots of tall plants to break eyesight. I'll be adding more tall plants to see if that helps, but I might have to move one out. If you do get two make sure you have a backup plan!

 

[JF213]

Thank you for the feedback. I will stick with my 1 angel fish.

Still trying to figure out if it is better for the cichlids to be in pairs or to get a trio.

 

[JF213]

Got my Bolivian Rams today. I asked for one female and one male but cannot tell which is which. Can you help?