Chocolate Cichlid in Community?

[ShanerBock888]

I have never kept any cichlids at all, but am considering adding a Chocolate to a community. It's a 125 gallon tank with a 6" clown knife, 2 x 4" sun catfish, a 6" albino common pleco. I'm also considering adding a florida gar. I have a 300 gallon tank, and I know most of these fish will end up outgrowing the 125, but while they're all in this tank I would like to add a chocolate.

Like I said, I have zero experience with cichlids. The tank is perfectly peaceful at the moment and I would like to keep it that way. Everything I've read says the chocolates are peaceful, except with conspecifics, but even then they're not bad at all. I should also mention that my water is hard and has a pH of about 7.6.

Does anyone see any problems keeping a chocolate cichlid with the others? Will the pH be a problem or are they like most other fish and will adapt to the pH as long as it's steady. If this isn't the best match does anyone have any suggestions for similarly sized cichlids that can peacefully add some color and variety to my tank?

 

[Woefulrelic]

Chocolates will probably compete for top dog position. That said they are very easy going and likely won't even damage the CKs fins. pH no issue here. Chocolates have a big appetite and will make spot feeding harder, if your CK doesn't compete well or the cats need specific feeding your food bill will go way up.

 

[MattyV55]

I have never kept any cichlids at all, but am considering adding a Chocolate to a community. It's a 125 gallon tank with a 6" clown knife, 2 x 4" sun catfish, a 6" albino common pleco. I'm also considering adding a florida gar. I have a 300 gallon tank, and I know most of these fish will end up outgrowing the 125, but while they're all in this tank I would like to add a chocolate.

Like I said, I have zero experience with cichlids. The tank is perfectly peaceful at the moment and I would like to keep it that way. Everything I've read says the chocolates are peaceful, except with conspecifics, but even then they're not bad at all. I should also mention that my water is hard and has a pH of about 7.6.

Does anyone see any problems keeping a chocolate cichlid with the others? Will the pH be a problem or are they like most other fish and will adapt to the pH as long as it's steady. If this isn't the best match does anyone have any suggestions for similarly sized cichlids that can peacefully add some color and variety to my tank?

Chocolates are one of my favorite fish. Very peaceful. I don't see why they wouldn't be fine. The 7.6 shouldn't be a problem. I was told my wild caught chocolates were caught in a PH of around 7.4

 

[ShanerBock888]

Chocolates will probably compete for top dog position. That said they are very easy going and likely won't even damage the CKs fins. pH no issue here. Chocolates have a big appetite and will make spot feeding harder, if your CK doesn't compete well or the cats need specific feeding your food bill will go way up.

Yeah the CK isn't a very aggressive eater, definitely something to consider. I think that's something I can deal with though. Thanks!

Chocolates are one of my favorite fish. Very peaceful. I don't see why they wouldn't be fine. The 7.6 shouldn't be a problem. I was told my wild caught chocolates were caught in a PH of around 7.4

Yeah everything I've read suggest that they have a great personality in terms of interaction with their keeper. Thanks for the help!

Think I'm gonna go for it. If the feeding is a problem I can move fish to different tanks

 

[Woefulrelic]

Yeah the CK isn't a very aggressive eater, definitely something to consider. I think that's something I can deal with though. Thanks!

Yeah everything I've read suggest that they have a great personality in terms of interaction with their keeper. Thanks for the help!

Think I'm gonna go for it. If the feeding is a problem I can move fish to different tanks

Chocolates may do short term damage, depending on your setup a male may nip the ck to display dominance early on, long term I expect better results.

 

[ShanerBock888]

Chocolates may do short term damage, depending on your setup a male may nip the ck to display dominance early on, long term I expect better results.

By setup do you mean separate territories? Like something for the chocolate to call it's own so it feels like it's the boss? either way, short term isn't a big deal. Thanks for the help

 

[Alexxxxsv14]

My chocolate is very mellow doesn't let any one boss him around but defineitly doesn't go around looking for trouble. They are pigs lol eat a lot and poop a lot. Grow big and have great personality I'd say go for it

 

[Woefulrelic]

By setup do you mean separate territories? Like something for the chocolate to call it's own so it feels like it's the boss? either way, short term isn't a big deal. Thanks for the help

I mean if you add one he may pick at the ck to show him who's boss. If you add a pair they will probably beat eachother up instead, same for any amount really. Unless someone keeps them in line they will push their weight around a bit, that bit is just incomparable to many of the big mean cichlids.

 

[DarylMac]

It should be okay. Chocolates are pretty mild mannered considering they're a cichlid that can exceed 8" or 10" total length.

 

[smjack]

Can be bossy with my red severums. But my Rotkiel is top dog. All of them poop all lot so can't comment on that.