2 Compatability Questions - 2 separate tanks

[Kilgore]

Hi,

I have two questions on compatability of fishes, completely different tanks and fish species.

1) Can someone please recommend a peaceful loach and/or algae eater that would do well in a tank with some salt added? This is my 10-gallon guppy tank - currently housing 4 adult and 3 juvenile guppies. Hope to eventually move them to a 20 but only when finances allow (6 months maybe?). Now, I realize I don't HAVE to add salt for guppies but it seems to buffer my water hardness and stabilize the pH, which is essential given my very soft, acidic tap water. Also, I want to be free to medicate this tank if needed. So I need a hardier than average algae and/or snail eater that won't eat my guppies and can tolerate medium water hardness. Doesn't exist, right?

2) Which species of dwarf cichlids, i.e. Apistogramma species, would be MOST compatible with German blue rams? I plan to have a pair of each in a 25 gallon. If somone can speak from experience, that would be great, although I realize that some individuals are more aggressive than others and that all bets are off during breeding. FYI, this is a heavily planted tank with bogwood and several rocks - meaning that they should be able to define some distinct territories. I was thinking about doing a pair of rams and a pair or trio of Apisto. macmasteri, borelli, or caucatoides. I would prefer a smaller fish (3" max). Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for your valuable input.

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

I've had cae's, sae's, oto's and plecos in very hard water. One of the smaller plecos (pitbull?) or a couple of oto's should do fine. You may want to drip acclimate the otos because they are sensitive to change. Cae get too aggressive and too big; sae get too big.

I don't do cichlids so someone else will have to help with that.

 

[petunia100]

Check out http://www.apistogramma.com for info on the apistos and ram info. The two are related, and may have territory issues being cichlids. I just have rams, but am interested in mixing the two. I don't know if a 25 gallon is big enough for a pair of each but someone else may have more experience. When I was looking into getting apistos I read several places (some on the above site), that caucatoides is one of the more agressive apistos with rams.

Good Luck.

 

[maxwell1295]

25 gal might not be big enough for 2 pair of cichlids. I have 2 pairs of Rams in my 30 gal long and they take turns chasing each other to the other side of the tank. You may have harmony with two different breed though. My Rams go it, but nothing too fierce.

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

I've kept a few species of Apistogramma and from personal experience, I wouldn't try to keep multiple species in anything smaller than a 55 gallon tank.