Advice on stocking?

[fishhead0103666]

I'm getting a few 55's, 4 to be exact, and I'm still trying to decide the stock on one of them. I think I've gotten a general idea for tank #3 with it being peaceful cichlids and some "unusual" fish. Since the main stars will be a few cichlids I've decided that this was the best place it. Anyway, this is the stock I have so far.
1 double full red agassizi cichlid (found on live aquaria)
1 keyhole cichlid
1 bolivian ram. 2 if I can get a pair.
2 gardeni panchax killifish (pair)

Does anyone see any potential issues with the killifish being included?

 

[Gourami Swami]

The apisto will do better in a pair or trio. I would just do a trio of them and leave the ram out. Or vice versa. Both species would be happier in a group than individually.
Killie could be fine, though the golden wonder's can be a little feisty. And they are top feeders, so just make sure enough food gets down to the cichlids who will probably wait for it on the bottom.

 

[fishhead0103666]

Ahh thank you, you see I have never had apistograms so I was just shooting in the dark based off of what I had read about them. I've heard lots of stories about golden wonders getting aggressive with other fish. So do you think this stock would work?
3 double full red apistograms
1 keyhole cichlid
A pair of gardenI panchax killifish
I've not yet figured out the rest of the stock.

 

[duanes]

Agree with Gourami Swami, the cichlids you list are all social and do best in trios or small groups. They will exhibit more natural behavior that way.
For a 55, a couple trios of small cichlids and a group of killi's may be all that is needed to make a beautiful display the cichlids in the lower part of the tank , the killi's in the upper.

 

[fishhead0103666]

I never heard anywhere that keyhole cichlids liked to be with others, all I ever heard was that they were peaceful and could be kept with each other which is why I didn't do more. Here's a general idea for the new stock list.
3 double full red apistograms
3 keyhole cichlids
2 pairs of gardeni panchax killifish

If it's possible I'd like to do another small group of dwarf cichlids or possibly a third pair of the killifish.

 

[fishhead0103666]

Well I had been doing some research on dwarf fish and those killifish I was looking at were mentioned. Turns out they're more aggressive then initially thought so I'm gonna take them off the list. As I'm looking more and more into those apistograms and the keyhole cichlids I'm loving the idea of them more. If I were to do it with only those 2 how many would yall recommend versus only keyhole cichlids? I'd reckon about 5-6 each if I were doing just the two species and 8-10 keyhole cichlids if I were doing just the keyholes. Are my numbers way off or right on point?

 

[tlindsey]

Well I had been doing some research on dwarf fish and those killifish I was looking at were mentioned. Turns out they're more aggressive then initially thought so I'm gonna take them off the list. As I'm looking more and more into those apistograms and the keyhole cichlids I'm loving the idea of them more. If I were to do it with only those 2 how many would yall recommend? I'm thinking around 6 of each.

I would do a trio or 4 Apistogramma 1m/ 2 or 3 females. Personally would do 4 keyhole Cichlids as well. I would add a group of tetra 6-8 or more depending on the specie. Also most definitely add corydora's.

 

[fishhead0103666]

Hmm, there was a certain tetra I was looking at for this tank as a possible inhabitant. I'll try to find it again. Also I'm actually trying to stay away from cories for now since I recently had all of my bronze cories wiped out. The only ones were 2 emerald cories which were somehow not affected. I wouldn't mind a school of them though. 6 of them?

 

[fishhead0103666]

Ok do I did a little search and I can't find the exact tetra it was. It was a thicker tetra then normal though, like a congo tetra. I'm thinking of doing a school of bleeding heart tetras perhaps? Never kept those beauties before.