Looking for another fish(es)

[Hrafnkel]

I recently heard that a BGK wouldn't be good for the setup I'm planning. So I was wondering what I could get instead? My plan is:

6 bloodfin tetras (if I can find three more around here)
6 cories
1 betta
1 dojo loach
10 zebra danios
1 Blood Parrot Cichlid

Some have suggested another dojo loach, but when I bought mine I watched him for a while and he seemed to dislike the company of his own kind... So I don't know about that.

EDIT: Oh yeah. It's a 55 gallon. Almost forgot to mention that.

 

[mr86mister]

now i'm not too familiar with the blood parrot cichlids but the size i've seen them get wouldnt they eat all the other fish with no problem?

correct if i am wrong please

 

[Hrafnkel]

From what I've read they generally aren't very aggressive.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Mine isn't aggressive towards the other fish in the tank, but I am stocked with Aggressive fish. I think they would be too aggressive for a Community tank. That said, I'd nix the Parrot.

I think you'd be fine with what your current stocking is minus the Parrot. If after you have it stocked with what you have listed you feel like another couple of fish could be added, then just increase your number of Tetra's or Danios.

 

[Hrafnkel]

I've heard a lot of accounts of parrots being kept safely in community tanks, personally. I'll look into it more, at least.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I have 4 small juvi's in the 29 gal tank that nip anything else in the tank. The eels are completly burrowed because of it. I keep hoping they will grow out of it, but it doesn't seem like that will be happening anytime soon.

 

[Hrafnkel]

From what I understand, they only get pushy in groups. Not so much when they're alone. Have also heard they don't really gain anything from being with their own kind, either.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

You can chance it and just see what happens. If it was my tank, I wouldn't do it, but YMMV.

 

[Hrafnkel]

I'll give it a shot, at least. Already nixed one of my two favorites from the list, don't wanna lose the other.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

They are great fish with an awesome personality. Will you be buying it as a juvi or adult?

 

[Hrafnkel]

More than likely a juvi.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

That's good. Then you can watch the transformation in color. My 4 juvi's are all starting to change yellow. The larger yellow one that I have in the 150 is turning red. It's pretty cool to watch the transformation. If you do get a juvi that is gray and black, when the mouth turns whitish in color, don't freak. It's not sick. That's normally just the first part to change color. Then the sides look splotchy as if someone had scraped something against the fish. Then the yellow pokes through.

 

[Hrafnkel]

Alright. Thanks for the advice, I'd probably freak out if I saw white mouth. Hopefully it'll work out, from most of what I've heard (except from you) they're pretty mellow fish, really. I've seen enormous lists of different fish people have successfully kept them with.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Mine are mellow in the 150 gal tank. But they are stocked with aggressive African Cichlids. The eels aren't so lucky with the juvi parrots. Good Luck.

 

[Hrafnkel]

Thanks. I think they'll do better in a community setup if they're by themselves.

 

[spongebobson]

I dont think cichlids get along with bettas.

 

[Hrafnkel]

Normally I'd agree, but red parrots seem to be considerably different from other cichlids. If things don't work out I tend to keep a seperate home for the betta in case of emergency.

 

[zenkatydid]

i might also add that your loach would prefer the company of some of its own species.

 

[Hrafnkel]

I'll look into that, but like I said, when I saw him at the store he didn't seem to like them (chased all the other loaches away, etc.) He's pretty gentle with everything else though.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Normally I'd agree, but red parrots seem to be considerably different from other cichlids. If things don't work out I tend to keep a seperate home for the betta in case of emergency

Mine is very aggressive. He always chases the other fish and whenever I clean the tank, he bites me. Mine has eaten cories, zebra danios, and guppies once he got bigger (right now he is about 6"). He has the most personallity out of all my fish and I would never give him away.