Mixing Community Fish and Cichlids

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terryeckel

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Messages
66
hi, i'm new to the site and have a thread out there concerning my 55 gallon tank. i have loaches, striped leporidous, barbs and danios. is it possible to cominglr cichlids into this tank or am i only able to keep semi-aggresive fish.
 
What kind of cichlids are you interested in? From what I've seen recommended, they are usually kept in a species-only tank with perhaps a bottom feeder or something like that.
 
thats what i seen but thought i would ask. what about community fish ? i'm just trying to see my options.
 
Well to be able to 100% help you we're going to need to know how many of each of those fish you have. There are some cichlids that are smaller and would be great in community tanks, but the big African cichlids would probably kill/eat all of the fish.
 
i have 5 barbs, 3 of them are new (smaller) 2 good size leporidous, 2 clown loaches 2 danios and a few cats.
 
i have 5 barbs, 3 of them are new (smaller) 2 good size leporidous, 2 clown loaches 2 danios and a few cats.

Ok, first we need to address the 'already fish' issues then we can get to new fish!

You have 5 barbs. I'm guessing they're tiger barbs, right? They can be aggressive when they aren't in a proper school (less than 6), which yours are. I would bump the barbs up to around 8-10, so they'll become less aggressive.

I had to go look up the leporidous, because I had never heard of the fish. It gets very big! I've read that as long as you keep it fed it won't be too bad. So, just feed them and you'll be good.

The clown loaches are an issue. They grow to 8-12" and get pretty large (I mean fat). They also need schools of around 5-6 to be really happy, which requires a tank of at least 125g at the min, IMO. I'm sorry, but to keep your fish as happy as can be you're probably going to have to get rid of them (only one large fish species in that tank).

Do you know what kind of danios? At least give a description. I do know that you're going to need to get another 4 of them because, once again, they are schooling fish. Oh and the catfish as well. Description please then we can help!

If you address the issues that I have stated above I think that you might be able to squeeze in a krib or two. But you'd probably have to get rid of the cats, which are probably going to have to go anyways because they're usually bottom tank fish and so are your giants, the leporidous.

Hope this can help!
 
I think AquaKai covered most of it.
I think you need to do some rethinking on your stocking and maybe after some rehoming you might be able to add to it but first you need to get what you have on a happy, healthy track.
 
AquaKai said:
Ok, first we need to address the 'already fish' issues then we can get to new fish!

You have 5 barbs. I'm guessing they're tiger barbs, right? They can be aggressive when they aren't in a proper school (less than 6), which yours are. I would bump the barbs up to around 8-10, so they'll become less aggressive.

I had to go look up the leporidous, because I had never heard of the fish. It gets very big! I've read that as long as you keep it fed it won't be too bad. So, just feed them and you'll be good.

The clown loaches are an issue. They grow to 8-12" and get pretty large (I mean fat). They also need schools of around 5-6 to be really happy, which requires a tank of at least 125g at the min, IMO. I'm sorry, but to keep your fish as happy as can be you're probably going to have to get rid of them (only one large fish species in that tank).

Do you know what kind of danios? At least give a description. I do know that you're going to need to get another 4 of them because, once again, they are schooling fish. Oh and the catfish as well. Description please then we can help!

If you address the issues that I have stated above I think that you might be able to squeeze in a krib or two. But you'd probably have to get rid of the cats, which are probably going to have to go anyways because they're usually bottom tank fish and so are your giants, the leporidous.

Hope this can help!

Go on youtube and look up marge the clown loache over 2 1/2 feet long 5+ pounds check it out
 
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