HELP me choose ciclids.

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KarkiPratik

Black Skirt Tetra
MFK Member
Mar 21, 2019
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Hello everyone. I just recently got a 5*2*2ft tank and im thinking of keeping a community of ciclids. I am very confused for what to keep and what not to. Which are suitable with which. Could anyone please help me to choose the species of ciclids and the number of recommended ciclids. Thank you !

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It depends on what you like.

Do you want a planted tank? Little cichlids? Larger cichlids? Specific colors? Do you want to watch a pair raise babies?

You have a lot of options to narrow down to suit you.
 
Id onky want to keep larger ciclids. Whichever large ciclid i get im gonna start them from 2-3 inches and grow them out.
 
Id onky want to keep larger ciclids. Whichever large ciclid i get im gonna start them from 2-3 inches and grow them out.
Then get a few of your choice... parachromis are awsome... in a 150 you could do jags or red tiger motas... or you could do an amph species... get a pair from the batch you raise up and watch them mate... lots of personality with the big boys
 
Then get a few of your choice... parachromis are awsome... in a 150 you could do jags or red tiger motas... or you could do an amph species... get a pair from the batch you raise up and watch them mate... lots of personality with the big boys
id like to make a tank with variety of big ciclids, woukd dovi,jags,jackdempget along? as im.gonna start them from small
 
id like to make a tank with variety of big ciclids, woukd dovi,jags,jackdempget along? as im.gonna start them from small
While this may work while small for a time. As soon as they start to mature, all gloves are off.
It would be better to start off first with your water source parameters (city tap water or a well?). If you live in America its required by law that water companies have to publish their water reports, you can find them online or call them to get this. PH and hardness will give us a starting point.Then we can pick fish that are best suited for your water and tank size.
 
Chocolate cichlids would be great display fish with a school of dither fish such as large tetras. Columbian red-blue tetras would be a nice contrast. A couple of bristlenose plecos would go well with them too. Chocolate cichlids get big and colorful. They have nice personalities and you can keep a few smaller fish with them. You might even get away with having live plants if you want them.
 
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The tank (as said by others) is too small for dovii alone, and even too small for "more" than just a pair of any Parachromis.
Jack Dempseys usually don't do well with any larger aggressive cichlids, other than them selves, maybe housed with a group of Thorichthys in that size tank would work.
Even in nature when in a habitat with other large cichlids JDs do poorly, even with thousands of gallons of space .
See how torn up they are, and few and far between in the video below.
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Below however, they are the main cichlid in this larger Cenote (without other cichlid competition) where they do much better, with only live bearers, and catfish.
Eden2
Doing lots of research first helps, but most cichlid community tanks are hit and miss, due to cichlid individual personalities, so it will be only your own experience whether it works or not.
Expect conflict and death, and have hospital tanks available as they grow.
I have found if you keep cichlids together that look alike (same mouth shape, same color, same body shape), their will most likely be problems because they see each other as completition.
If you err on the side of different body shape, mouths, colors, success is more likely because differences mean different needs.
 
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