Cichlids for a planted tank?

[Mr Burns]

hey, i don't know a whole lot about cichlids, but i'm planning on getting a few apistogramma double reds. are there any other cichlids that max out in the 4-5" range and are suitable for an 85gal planted tank? also, i don't care much for discus...too big and too pricey for me.

 

[krap101]

i dont know much about cichlids but ive heard some of them either eat plants or dig em up. (dont remember) but... yeah

 

[Menagerie]

Check out German Rams and Bolivian Rams. I also believe angel fish would do well.

Apisto double reds sound gorgeous!!
I have 4 Apistos and 2 Bolivian rams in my community tank and they get along.

 

[Mr Burns]

d'oh..i forgot to mention that i wasn't big on the angels or rams. sorry. would something like the malawi peacocks would work? i'll have eco-complete instead of sand..i don't know if that makes a big difference or not. thanks!

 

[Guest]

To bad you do'nt like Rams. They are a great fish to keep in a planted tank, especially a community tank. What do you not like about them?

How about some Keyholes? Best I can recall they enjoy planted tanks and only reach about 4".

You have a specific biotope in mind, or whatever tickles your fancy?

 

[Fruitbat]

Rift lake cichlids like Malawi Peacocks much prefer very hard, alkaline water (NOT good for plants) and many of them will chew your plants right down to the stems. I can recommend the 'kribensis' and its relatives, Pelvicachromis sp. They are very active and colorful, don't grow to excessive size and will probably spawn in your aquarium for you. However, lest I paint too rosy a picture, 'kribensis' are cichlids and share (to a lesser degree) that group's general propensity for re-arranging the tank to suit their needs, especially at spawning time. Fortunately, 'kribensis' are cave spawners and won't excavate enormous pits in your landscaped aquarium. Like most cichlids, 'kribensis' can be aggressive, especially the males. With an 85 gallon tank, providing you give the fish a number of caves to work with, you shouldn't have any trouble keeping a number of pairs of this gorgeous fish!

 

[Mr Burns]

mojo - i don't like the color and shape of rams. something rubs me the wrong way about them.... i absolutely love the double and triple red apistos, though a triple red is hard to find even if the lfs has good connection. even then, they are expensive. i don't have a biotope in mind, but this is going to be a carefully aquascaped, heavily planted tank...something along the lines of AquariumFreak's tank. i don't know how much room i would really have for caves, unless i did some pvc ones in the background.... do you know the scientific name for keyholes or links to info on them? thanks

 

[medge00]

i'm secretly in love with apistos.... check out http://www.apistogramma.com/cms/ for some ideas. double reds are pretty cool

 

[Guest]

Hey Burns,

For the life of me I can't get my computer to run any faster than a turtle. Sadly I can't get you a scientific name on Keyholes for research. I'll try again soon. I know theres a few people here on AA that are familiar with them. Perhaps someone will chime in.

Burns, whats your tap water para's again? I'm sure your familiar with the importance of trying to match fish as close as possible to your tap water para's due to swings.

Theres a thousand cichlids. Each requiring specific needs. Like Fruitbat mentioned. Malaki's like high PH, will rearange a tank to thier likings and mow down most any plant that can survive in those water conditions.

On the other hand, you have cichlids such as Rams that like softer water and thrive in planted tanks.

My point is, you have to be very careful when building a community tank with cichlids. Making certain everything lives in harmony.

 

[Fruitbat]

The Keyhole Cichlid is Aequidens (Cleithracara) maronii.

 

[Mr Burns]

my first priority is the well-being of my plants. how's that for die hard?? i did find some good resources on cichlids. apparently the only ones i'd be able to keep are the ones found in south america where the pH and hardness are similar to what the plants need. no big deal though, i'll stick with the double reds and a couple dozen cardinals thanks for the info everybody!

 

[Guest]

Thanks Fruitbat

 

[jratuszn]

I keep peacocks and labs in a lightly planted tank, and they don't do anything to the plants. They do like to dig, tho, so you may need to re-bury roots every now and again.

-J

 

[Mr Burns]

hehe...if i have my way, there won't be any substrate exposed to dig it!