Cichlids compatible for community tank

[blizowman1]

Have a 29g freshwater planted tank with wisteria, a banana plant, java fern, and a couple Anubis. I have 8 pristellas tetras , 6 cardinal tetras, 4 Cory's and a bristle nose Pleco. I had a German blue ram and he didn't make it and still dont know what happened. I keep my water changed every week keep temps at 80 and am wondering if I could get a single yellow lab to ad to the tank? Any recommendations given is fine I'm grown I can handle criticism lol thanks.

 

[Fishie]

The yellow lab would eat the banana plant and wisteria :/ not the java and anubias. I'm not sure but I defiantly wouldn't put a male in. Not even sure about a female but I would get other opinions. I'm just saying it would eat some of your plants!

 

[blizowman1]

Well that's disappointing cause I really liked the little things

 

[gman42]

i think the yellow lab would prob eat all if your tetras too.

 

[Malawi Freak]

It would be all fine and dandy for a few months until the cichlid starts to make territories. Then the rest of your fish are toast.

 

[HUKIT]

There are plenty of peaceful smaller and dwarf cichlids you could keep in that set up, my top recommendation would be Cleithracara maronii commonly known as the Keyhole. They are extremely peaceful that thrive in a community set up, here's a good link.

Keyhole cichlid, Cleithracara maronii Profile, with care, maintenance requirements and breeding information for your tropical fish

 

[smallfry53]

I have a similar setup, and people on here have recommended bolivian rams, or you could probably get an apisto. (maybe a pair) But I'm still new at this so listen to what others say/your own research.

 

[blizowman1]

See I've thought about some cockatoo dwarf cichlids but I can't bring myself to pay 30 bucks for the pair

 

[smallfry53]

You might be able to find some cheaper than that. My local Petsmart now has double reds for like 6-8 bucks I think.

From what I have read I think it sounds like apistos are a little easier to care for than rams. (Once again listen to others though)

 

[Fro280]

I have a 29 gallon myself. In there I have a opaline gourami, 3 tiger barbs, 3 zebra danios a red jewel and a yellow lab. They've all been together for just about a year now and I've had no problems. The lab will chase the jewel around from time to time but for the most part leaves the other fish alone

 

[blizowman1]

I just want something to add a little color and not tear my plants up its hard enough keeping plants maintained and clean looking without fish eating on them the labs I was looking at were only about an inch or two long and really sampler or of similar size to my other fish

 

[smallfry53]

I might be wrong, but it sounds like maybe a dwarf gourami or two might fit the description you gave. Small/colorful/don't tear stuff up. Other then that I'd say maybe try another round with rams

 

[blizowman1]

I'm always looking for new ideas and new things I can do or add to my tank I'll have to add a new pic of my tank so you can see what I have and what ideas yall might have

 

[blizowman1]

I am really thinking about biting the bullet and getting a pair of the apistogramma cocatouides I think that's spelled right. I just don't know what morph they carry at the fish store I would get them from.( an hour and a half from the little town I stay in)

 

[blizowman1]

I've also noticed the same fish store has three tanks FULL of baby German blue rams for 5 bucks and some baby electric blue rams for I think 15. I don't know if them being baby's would make them easier to care for than older ones

 

[smallfry53]

I have a sick fish (hopefully just one) so I ran to a couple of pet stores looking for meds. Anyway, at the one which is an awesome family owned fish store they had pairs of orange flashes for sale. That made me really want to get a pair. It was $25 for the pair, but they are awesome. When you look at pictures online sometimes they look kind of too flashy for my taste, but the ones they have were just really cool looking.

So after all that rambling, I'm sure you could call ahead and see what they have available.

 

[blizowman1]

 

[Freakgecko91]

I have three species of apistos, and Bolivian rams and LOVE them all! The cacautoids are the cheapest of the apistos generally, I got my 4 double reds for only $20 at my lfs. I also have trifasciata and panduro. I love the trifasciata the most, very calm yet so awesome, just not the flashy colors of the cacautoids or agasizzi. As for the keyholes mentioned earlier, good luck finding them! I've been on a 2 month search for them from about 10-15 fish stores and everyone tells me that they aren't popular anymore and are few and far between...it's rather unfortunate :/ as for the price issue, I've paid $35 for the pair of trifasciata and $35 for the panduro, and plan on adding a pair of dicrossus maculatus which are $35 each...you get what you pay for though, a beautiful fish with awesome behavior, I can watch them for hours on end!

 

[blizowman1]

Ok so here's a question. Say if I decided to try the yellow lab and just see how it acts in my tank....my dad has a tank I can put it in if it doesn't work out....could I keep a yellow lab and a pair of cockatoo dwarf cichlids in my current setup together along with all my other fish too or should I just limit myself to just the pair of cockatoos

 

[Freakgecko91]

I say no to the labs, not only is it mixing biotopes, but you're gonna be playing with fire with the labs... You have to remember that the Apistos are tiny, same with your other fish, a lab will destroy everything in your tank. Stick with the Apistos