Cichlid tank ????

[patryuji]

Wow, those little guys sound very mean when they want to be...

Will any of the more aggressive loaches survive in a cichlid tank? (such as the botia hymenophysa or botia modesta)

[ADCISCO]

I have 2 ten each have 5 cichlids in each. I have a 29 gallon tank as a community tank and I am suppose to get a 55 gallon tank before too long. Will a 55 gallon be big enough for all 10 of the cichlid? I plan on making it very planted (fake) and with as many little caves as possible. My one tank everyone seems to get along pretty well but there is one that is kind of a bully but the other thank is the same way. We have one that is more dominate than the rest and the others just seem to hang in the same place all the time until the bully comes out. But they are starting to come out more and up to the glass. My other tank is always happy to see me......they dont fight at all when it comes to seeing me at the tank....they seem pretty content but I am sure that will end someday soon.

[poppab02]

Loaches can be put with cichlids but it all depends on the size of the loach (I never put any fish in that's smaller than the cichlids) and the temperment of the cichlids. Some cichlids absolutely will not tolerate anything in their tank and some act like community fish, it all depends on the individual fish.
A 55 gallon may be big enough for all of the cichlids, it may be a little overcrowded when they get full grown but that may cut down on aggression.

[saberry]

Loaches typically do fine as do catfish and plecos. I think it's kind of a natural symbiosis. Because the loaches and catfish are bottom feeders and the pleco takes care of the algae on tank surfaces, I guess the cichlids don't really see them as competition for food. But, like poppab02 alluded too, anything too small becomes cichlid food.

I had a Gold Severum years back along with Neon Tetras (back in the days when I bought fish just because of how they looked .) Anyway, I never did see the severum bother the tetras. In fact, they seemed to coexist together quite well. until I noticed that my tetras kept mysteriously disappearing. After this happened a few times, and I never found any remains, it finally dawned on me that this rather large severum was snacking on my tetras.

[poppab02]

Plecos have a hard time surviving sometimes because cichlids, especially african cichlids, have a bad habit of trying to peck their eyes out. I've had 1 of 3 survive with my new batch of cichlids and my last batch killed 2 with none survivng. It really depends on the cichlids. My advice is to introduce fish at night and try and introduce at least 2 at a time, otherwise the cichlids tend to gang up on the new fish if you introduce only 1 at a time.

[ADCISCO]

These are young....so I was wonding if I could put my pictus cats with them???? Or if that was even an option. One in each tank. And when I got the 55 gallon just add a few each day....Why do things have to be so complicated....they are just fish!!! :P

[poppab02]

I think you would be ok putting the pictus with them if they're all young. I think I would definitely keep an eye out for missing chunks of their whiskers or fins but my guess is they should be allright.

[Menagerie]

Originally Posted by poppab02

They seem to go pale when they are agressive, almost white, Is that typical of Zebras?

I am not sure if that is typical of all of them, but keep in mind that each fish will have it's own personality and YMMV

[ADCISCO]

Well I put one of the pictus in each of the ten gallon tanks today. So far so good. Keep your fingers crossed. I cleaned the 29 gallon today and just thought I would try it out. They make my tank so messy where I have to give them shrimp pellets. I have to clean the tank alot less with them not in it. I have been trying to keep a close eye on them. My pictus are pretty fisty so I hope that they will at least fight back if they start to pick at them!

[Menagerie]

You mentioned wanting to do a fake planted tank. Your cichlids will rearrange the gravel/sand/substrate to their liking and your fake plants will be floating all over the place. If you have Mbuna--they are cave dwellers and should have caves in the tank.

[ADCISCO]

So far so good. The cats survived the night with all of their body parts attached! lol Well That is for one night anyway!lol We'll see how long that lasts. One could care less about being in the tank with them and the other one he is just kind of lazy but they both take spells like that. SO I am in hopes that they work out with the cichlids because I sure am tired of them eating my other fish!

[3Corsameal]

i've had 10 convicts in a 12 gallon tank for about 9 months now, not had any illness nor deaths and tbh honest i haven't changed the water that often, probably 25% every 3-4 weeks.

[Menagerie]

3Corsameat--10 convicts in a 12 gal tank is not something we advocate on this site. You could keep fry in there, but water changes should be part of a weekly or biweekly tank regiment.
Keep in mind that convicts become more aggressive and territorial as they mature and will grow to 8". They are also prolific breeders under good conditions.

[poppab02]

Survival is very different from having a healthy normal life. If you put 4 people in an elevator for 9 months and continually dropped food in they would survive, but it would be a pretty crappy life. My point is just because you can do it does not mean you should. I've seen four 10 inch oscars kept in a 20 gallon tank but it's completely cruel.
Oh, and menagerie is completely correct eventually your convicts are going to start killing each other, and frankly I'm surprised they haven't started already.