Cichlids in a semi-aggressive tank

[FrogFrenzy]

Are there any cichlids I can house in a 55 gallon semi-aggressive tank? It's a sandy substrate with lots of caves and driftwood. I have gouramis, tiger barbs, redtail shark, pleco, and some rainbows.

 

[Bichir Bro]

Are there any cichlids I can house in a 55 gallon semi-aggressive tank? It's a sandy substrate with lots of caves and driftwood. I have gouramis, tiger barbs, redtail shark, pleco, and some rainbows.

Can you specify how many of each?
Like how many tigers, how many and what kind of gouramis, what kind of pleco etc...
Also by rainbow do you mean rainbow fish?
What type of filter do you have?
Are there any other bottom dwellers besides the shark like a crawfish or something weird along those lines?

 

[FrogFrenzy]

Can you specify how many of each?
Like how many tigers, how many and what kind of gouramis, what kind of pleco etc...
Also by rainbow do you mean rainbow fish?
What type of filter do you have?
Are there any other bottom dwellers besides the shark like a crawfish or something weird along those lines?

10 x tigers
1 x pearl gourami
1 x kissing gourami
3 x Madagascar rainbow fish
1 x redtail shark
1 x bristle nose pleco
I have a topfin 60 right now and I'm upgrading soon. I have a crawfish but he never comes out. I stayed up till 2:00 am without seeing him.

 

[FrogFrenzy]

The crawfish isn't a big problem. I've kept dojo loaches and Cory cats with him and he didn't touch them.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

How long has this tank been setup? Have all these fish been together for sometime? Is there an elephant nose in this tank as well? Or was that in a different tank?

 

[FrogFrenzy]

How long has this tank been setup? Have all these fish been together for sometime? Is there an elephant nose in this tank as well? Or was that in a different tank?

It's been set up for about 6 months and most of these fish have been together except for a couple like my gourami. I had an elephant nose in this tank but it died a while back.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

10 x tigers
1 x pearl gourami
1 x kissing gourami
3 x Madagascar rainbow fish
1 x redtail shark
1 x bristle nose pleco
I have a topfin 60 right now and I'm upgrading soon. I have a crawfish but he never comes out. I stayed up till 2:00 am without seeing him.

AqAdvisor threw up a lot more red flags at that stocking than it did mine.

Cichilids have a very high bioload, I know that- so definitely need good filtration. Apparently Kissing Gouramis get huge, so be ready for that. I have 2 in a 55 and I'm prepared to get a 75, probably 125 in the next 2-3 years.
AqAdvisor recommends no less than 5 madagascar rainbows in a group, but I lack experience in that. Pearl Gourami isn't recommended with kissing because of fighting, but I lack experience with that and I suspect room for territories would be a remedy.

How do your barbs do with your gouramis? I have 15 in a 55 with 2 kissing and BN pleco, adding a rainbow shark this week, so it's a similar community. I think I may have too many barbs because 1 or 2 keep picking on the larger gourami when he's trying to eat.

 

[Bichir Bro]

AqAdvisor threw up a lot more red flags at that stocking than it did mine.

Cichilids have a very high bioload, I know that- so definitely need good filtration. Apparently Kissing Gouramis get huge, so be ready for that. I have 2 in a 55 and I'm prepared to get a 75, probably 125 in the next 2-3 years.
AqAdvisor recommends no less than 5 madagascar rainbows in a group, but I lack experience in that. Pearl Gourami isn't recommended with kissing because of fighting, but I lack experience with that and I suspect room for territories would be a remedy.

How do your barbs do with your gouramis? I have 15 in a 55 with 2 kissing and BN pleco, adding a rainbow shark this week, so it's a similar community. I think I may have too many barbs because 1 or 2 keep picking on the larger gourami when he's trying to eat.

You can never have too many tiger barbs! Sometimes a few just do that. I also agree that you will have issues with they kissing gourami gets full grown. You also really need to upgrade your rainbowfish school too.

 

[FrogFrenzy]

AqAdvisor threw up a lot more red flags at that stocking than it did mine.

Cichilids have a very high bioload, I know that- so definitely need good filtration. Apparently Kissing Gouramis get huge, so be ready for that. I have 2 in a 55 and I'm prepared to get a 75, probably 125 in the next 2-3 years.
AqAdvisor recommends no less than 5 madagascar rainbows in a group, but I lack experience in that. Pearl Gourami isn't recommended with kissing because of fighting, but I lack experience with that and I suspect room for territories would be a remedy.

How do your barbs do with your gouramis? I have 15 in a 55 with 2 kissing and BN pleco, adding a rainbow shark this week, so it's a similar community. I think I may have too many barbs because 1 or 2 keep picking on the larger gourami when he's trying to eat.

I didn't know that about cichlids. And yes I know, 10 inches, I've already planned to upgrade in a year or two. I'm planning on getting 2 more rainbows and my two gouramis have been fine for a couple weeks now. They sometimes swim with each other. My barbs are fine with the gouramis. They don't even interact with each other. Usually the larger the school the less aggression. Tiger barbs are usually only aggressive when foods involved so that probably why.

 

[FrogFrenzy]

You can never have too many tiger barbs! Sometimes a few just do that. I also agree that you will have issues with they kissing gourami gets full grown. You also really need to upgrade your rainbowfish school too.

I agree. And yes, upgrading my school of rainbows is my first priority.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

After you add more rainbows, I don't think there is any cichlids that would fit. Maybe a ram, but the redtail might bother it.

 

[Bichir Bro]

After you add more rainbows, I don't think there is any cichlids that would fit. Maybe a ram, but the redtail might bother it.

Definitely no ram. The red tail would have a field day torturing it.

 

[FrogFrenzy]

After you add more rainbows, I don't think there is any cichlids that would fit. Maybe a ram, but the redtail might bother it.

Ok. If I had the room, would a firemouth and a redtail be ok in a 55?

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Ya, but a firemouth couldn't go with all the another fish.