Easiest/Hardiest SA Dwarf Cichlids?

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ryansmith83 said:
Jeff Michels at Aquatic Clarity has wild dorsigera. I have a box coming from him today.

If you want hardy, go with Laetacara. Since they’re essentially dwarf acaras they are very similar in behavior and requirements to your electric blues. Clean water and good food is all you need. Their spawning colors are beautiful and they’re chunky, feisty little fish. Don’t keep them in pairs — like most acaras, males can easily turn on females if there’s a disagreement. I had that happen with two separate pairs so now I only keep them in groups of 4 or more.
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At What temps do you keep Laetacara, Ryan?
 
They don’t seem bothered. I’ve had them with discus at 85F and in communities at 80F. Most of my SA tanks stay around 80 - 82F.
 
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I'd recommend amatitlania nanoluteus. Not sure if you've kept those, but they stay smaller than every other CA cichlid- biggest male I have seen was maybe 4.5". Much less hard on each other than the other convict types, I'd say a 20 gallon would be fine for a pair ( a little bigger is a little better,as always). Very pretty little fish, super bright yellow.
 
ryansmith83 said:
They don’t seem bothered. I’ve had them with discus at 85F and in communities at 80F. Most of my SA tanks stay around 80 - 82F.
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That's where I keep my SAs too. I was hoping Laetacaras could make it in a cooler planted tank, but I'll keep looking
 
ryansmith83 said:
Jeff Michels at Aquatic Clarity has wild dorsigera. I have a box coming from him today.

If you want hardy, go with Laetacara. Since they’re essentially dwarf acaras they are very similar in behavior and requirements to your electric blues. Clean water and good food is all you need. Their spawning colors are beautiful and they’re chunky, feisty little fish. Don’t keep them in pairs — like most acaras, males can easily turn on females if there’s a disagreement. I had that happen with two separate pairs so now I only keep them in groups of 4 or more.
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Very helpful - thanks. What would be the minimum footprint of a heavily planted aquarium to have 4. And would you have two pairs, or one male and three females?
 
Two pair in a heavily planted 40 breeder with some tankmates would probably work. I usually keep them in groups of six in 55 gallon tanks with other tankmates.
 
decoy50 said:
That's where I keep my SAs too. I was hoping Laetacaras could make it in a cooler planted tank, but I'll keep looking
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Dorsigera come from further south than the rest of the genus and would do great at planted tank temps. Curviceps too would be fine at the 76F mark. The two I would avoid at the cooler temps are araguaiae and fulvipinnis.
 
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I'll agree with the pair issue with at least dorsigera, araguaiae, and thayeri (a non dwarf member of the genus). Curviceps are supposed to be more mellow than dorsigera, but I can't say for sure. Every time I've bought curviceps, they've ended up being dorsigera so I'm still yet to keep them.
 
So I just ordered for Saturday delivery 8 Curviceps from Jeff Rapps. That is likely my best guess of getting true Curviceps - and the pic below from him looks like what I think Curviceps looks like. I'll keep everyone posted. To get the extra $18 Saturday delivery charge waived by ordering $100 worth, I also got a creamsicle Sagittae (if male will eventually go in my 300 amph tank) and a Rio Mag Umbee - will force myself to soon get that new tank from Midwest Custom Aquariums I have been work on.
curviceps.jpg
 
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Yeah, either Jeff (Rapps or Aquatic Clarity) is whom I would trust for the real deal. Makes me wish I had the space to pull one of my tanks out of storage for the chance to finally keep the real thing.
 
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