what are my options?

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veetee

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 13, 2009
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I currently have a 20 gallon planted tank (8 plants incl. 2 floating) stocked with a 4 inch silver shark, four cherry barbs and two firemouths. There are also 4 platys which I plan to move to another tank soon. When I do, what else could I get which would stand up to the firemouths (they are showy but not nasty aggressive to either each other or anyone else) and still be colourful?
I have been told keyholes would be best, although they are a little less striking than I would like, anyone got any other suggestions????
 
Right now once the fish get adult size you will be overstocked.
 
The "silver" shark, probably a columbian, needs a bigger tank since they get very large. The 2 firemouths also really need a bigger tank IMO. A Keyhole gets way too big and bulky for that size tank. Your stocking, minus the shark, is appropriate for a 40 long or 55. I'd keep the platies and barbs and add something else appropriate or add to the barbs. Sorry to seem like a downer, I just want to let you know the truth as I see it.
 
S'ok I know the tank will be too small in future, but I have a biggie in the loft that I can get up and running when they start to out grow the present one. The firemouths are only babies at the moment, about 3-4 inches. My current combination is working well, I was just wondering what else would be compatible so that I know my options for future as I have to plan well in advance. I am hours away from a shop selling anything except the basic neons and goldfish. Plus I have really fallen for the look of the cichlids now that I have them........... so will be really tempted to get more at a later date. Was thinking of setting up both tanks, but not sure what combinations are feasable. And of course, you only ever see young fish in most pet shops, not mature ones....and each website tells you a different maximum size! Not very helpful for the less experienced of us!
 
Cichlids should be kept with Cichlids! IMO. I don't even like to mix my cichlids i.e Malawi with Tanganyika but i know quite a few ppl that do without any problems
Plus Cichlids should be kept in a min of a 4' tank and that is only adequate for the smaller cichlids, larger ones needing more along the lines of a 72" tank.

Also remember that if it can fit in a cichlids mouth its supper
 
Cichlids should be kept with Cichlids! IMO. I don't even like to mix my cichlids i.e Malawi with Tanganyika but i know quite a few ppl that do without any problems
Plus Cichlids should be kept in a min of a 4' tank and that is only adequate for the smaller cichlids, larger ones needing more along the lines of a 72" tank.

Also remember that if it can fit in a cichlids mouth its supper


That is quite the statement... Especially since keyholes, rams, kribs etc are basically peaceful.
 
Well I have had the firemouths for over 2 months now with no aggression to any of the others in the tank. The only one the bigger male chases is the smaller firemouth, but he just chases it into the plants and then goes away. The other one just watches and comes back out as soon as he has gone. He ignores the barbs and the platys tell HIM off! The (bala) shark just does his own thing.
My tank is british 20 gallons, so a bit bigger than the normal, and is long rather than tall, so plenty of swimming room just now. If they seem to be starting to outgrow it I will be getting my bigger tank up and running anyway.
I'm personally quite happy that they are all ok where they are right now, none of them seem stressed and all are healthy, eating well and growing at a normal rate.
Perhaps this might change in the future when the firemouths mature, but if so I have the alternative tank so I am not worried.
 
We have 2 firemouths (male and female both about 4inches) 2 JD's (both about 4 inches), 1 jewel (3 inches), 3 pictus cats(3-4 inches), 1 synodontis cat (4inches), 1 common pleco (6 inches and going to be adopted by our LSF today believe it or not, he's too darn aggressive!) and 11 giant danios in a 55g.

My point of this is while my tank is overstocked, (yes I do have the filtration to compensate for this) the only aggression problem we have is with our pleco. He has attacked the other fish, myself and the gravel cleaner. No damage done, but he's got a nice new home. Our firemouths will sometimes gang up on the jewel, doing nothing but flaring gills, that's the only show of aggression we've had from them.

Anyways, on to what you can put with cichlids. As I stated, we have giant danios in with ours. Once they got used to the tank and the good feeding schedule, they have grown to about 1 and a half inches and have some beautiful coloring. They swim out in the open, don't hide behind the plants or wood. The cichlids eyeball them but don't mess with them. They are fast swimmers, the cichlids don't seem to want to work that hard for a meal so they just ignore them. Barbs I hear can work well too. Being that they can be aggresive, they can stand up for themselves. Stocking them with african cichlids might not be a good idea, but with some of the south american/new american cichlids it can work. (notice I say can, might etc because as we all know what works for one doesn't always work for another) I have also heard of some people putting some of the larger tetras with them, like the buenos aires tetras. I personally have never seen that, but I suppose it could be very possible.

Honestly, it really all boils down to the individual fish's personallity. Some cichlids of the same species can be completely different. Just remember, you can usually return the new edition if it doesn't work out.
 
I've had danios and white clouds (different times) in with breeding brichardis (they actually have teeth) and they were able to stay together for awhile. The white clouds stayed up top, and the danios stayed mid-top, while the brichardis lived under their rock.
 
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