Non Fish Creatures

[SAAER45]

My cichlid tank is just about at it's limit of fish and I wanted to add some non fish creatures to the tank to add some diversity. I was turned away from crabs and crayfish for different reasons and was looking for some other suggestions for no fish creatures to add to the tank... Anyone have some suggestions?

TIA,
John

 

[Thebluyak]

Shrimp?

 

[richiestang_78]

The problem is that the cichlids will probably eat any shrimps you put in there. You could go with some nice Snails or even a freshwater Clam. Theres really not that much of a choice on what you can put in there. Not sure if a Aquatic Frog would be a good choice because again the Cichlids may make lunch out of him.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

What kind of Cichlids are we talking about here? I do not know of any inverts that can be kept with Africans. South Americans are a different story. But a list of the fish that you keep will give us a good place to start.

 

[Menagerie]

I had minimal success with keeping mts in with my Mbuna cichlids from Lake Malawi--they sucked the snails right out of their shells which I didn’t think was possible, but the empty snail shells don’t lie If I remember correctly you have Mbuna cichlids; they evolved eating mainly algae and are adapt at getting food off the surface of rocks. Their teeth are mainly for scraping and of course used in fights. Due to their evolutionary history, it’s hard to put inverts in the same tank.

 

[SAAER45]

Yah, I have Mbunas, A Jewel Cichlid, and a Pleco
Someone mentioned an aquatic frog (not an invert), would that work?

 

[richiestang_78]

See im not sure. Ive never kept a frog so someone with more experience would have to tell you.

 

[Menagerie]

Perhaps as a snack I really don't know how a frog would be viewed by the fish, especially as the fish get bigger. Try going to the gallery and searching for frogs and see what they are being kept with.

 

[richiestang_78]

Exactly they may leave him alone or make like the french and eat him.