As the topic states - are there any cichlids, that won't destroy monte carlo carpets and anubias/buces ? If you can, make a list of them, since majority if not all, as I understand, will eat them as food.
Carpet plants friendly cichlids
- Thread starter JohnnyHyde
- Start date
Jonas, can you post a pic of your tank as well as the tank dimensions and size?
There may be some Lake Tanganyikan cichlids that could work.
There may be some Lake Tanganyikan cichlids that could work.
dimmensions are 100 long x 45 width x 55 heigh (cm); ~240-250 litres. Will be able to post photos later (in few weeks), because currently fighting the lightning problem: 'cause of my own stupidity destroyed leds, but in few days should be able to get them and get back my main lightning... sucks for carpet, tho. Also made a slight adjustment this weekend, where i "destroyed" few small caves (was like 10 places for fishes to hide and never be seen) and one huge cave, added more space for carpet (which, sadly, will need to grow submerged, since the filter is now up and running).
To get overall impressions what it looks like: it's currently fishless, but will add the overall fish list in the end of the post. It can be viewed from all sides (it's like a divider of work-place and the rest of living-room), half-monte carlo (with ada aquasoil), half-sand with 2 mountains (probablly up to 40-60 kgs of seiryu) which contains two caves (small grown-up polypterus will be able to fit in at least one of them), both of them can be seen from aquarium sides. Also reduced the number of "trees" from 6 to 5 (dried in oven and boiled small bonsai trees for few weeks and super-glued anubias nana petite (anubias bonsai/ anubias mini mini - it's basically the same plant, just different suppliers name it differently) plants... which happened right before my leds broke, so their condition isn't so nice, but i believe they will be able to "regenerate" themselves, once everything is back on track).
Fish list which will be added:
1 albino polypterus senegalus;
2 Erpetoichtys calabaricus;
week - few weeks later:
1 Apteronotus Albifrons;
week - few weeks later:
1-2 Ctenopoma Acutirostre;
1-2 Pantodon buchholzi;
week - few weeks later:
2-4 Fundulopanchax sjostedti or something of a similar size, very colorful (that's why started to thing maybe cichlids can work...)
Somewhere in between will probablly start a colony of red cherries (they are currently growing in small tank) or other shrimps. Yes, I know that they will be eaten. However, if they will use their instincts, they should be able to hide in many small places, where huge (basically all the other) fishes won't be able to reach them. Snails are also a possibility, however don't know which would be a good cleaning machine and won't eat monte carlo (with elephant snail (rabbit snail) had to find it the hard way in one of the small aquarium, that it's a no-no)
To get overall impressions what it looks like: it's currently fishless, but will add the overall fish list in the end of the post. It can be viewed from all sides (it's like a divider of work-place and the rest of living-room), half-monte carlo (with ada aquasoil), half-sand with 2 mountains (probablly up to 40-60 kgs of seiryu) which contains two caves (small grown-up polypterus will be able to fit in at least one of them), both of them can be seen from aquarium sides. Also reduced the number of "trees" from 6 to 5 (dried in oven and boiled small bonsai trees for few weeks and super-glued anubias nana petite (anubias bonsai/ anubias mini mini - it's basically the same plant, just different suppliers name it differently) plants... which happened right before my leds broke, so their condition isn't so nice, but i believe they will be able to "regenerate" themselves, once everything is back on track).
Fish list which will be added:
1 albino polypterus senegalus;
2 Erpetoichtys calabaricus;
week - few weeks later:
1 Apteronotus Albifrons;
week - few weeks later:
1-2 Ctenopoma Acutirostre;
1-2 Pantodon buchholzi;
week - few weeks later:
2-4 Fundulopanchax sjostedti or something of a similar size, very colorful (that's why started to thing maybe cichlids can work...)
Somewhere in between will probablly start a colony of red cherries (they are currently growing in small tank) or other shrimps. Yes, I know that they will be eaten. However, if they will use their instincts, they should be able to hide in many small places, where huge (basically all the other) fishes won't be able to reach them. Snails are also a possibility, however don't know which would be a good cleaning machine and won't eat monte carlo (with elephant snail (rabbit snail) had to find it the hard way in one of the small aquarium, that it's a no-no)
Thanks for the info!! Your tank is approx. 65G and approx 40" long x 18" W x 22" H so it is a nice size.
I have not kept any of the fish you are considering stocking but a few of them tend to stay near the bottom and may interfere with bottom dwelling cichlids so I'll let others comment on what might work.
I also have a feeling you may be fully stocked with your proposed list of species you want but that is just a guess.
I have not kept any of the fish you are considering stocking but a few of them tend to stay near the bottom and may interfere with bottom dwelling cichlids so I'll let others comment on what might work.
I also have a feeling you may be fully stocked with your proposed list of species you want but that is just a guess.
With all the rocks, decor and BGK you are very stocked. I'd skip cichlids entirely.
BGK will be max the same size as polypterus. Going to switch him later, when he grows to smaller one. Moreover, i doubt that its a good idea to think that all the fishes will grow instantly - in that case, yup, tank is overcrowded, but keep in mind, that all the fishes will be introduced as juveniles and in case of "overcrowded" will be switched to smaller ones / rehomed...
BGK get MUCH bigger than sens, particularly albinos.
I prefer the idea of getting fish that are fit for the tank long term. Also if you're running enough light to grow monte Carlo in a deep tank the knife won't be too keen on showing up much
I prefer the idea of getting fish that are fit for the tank long term. Also if you're running enough light to grow monte Carlo in a deep tank the knife won't be too keen on showing up much