I am thinking about getting 2 festivum 3 geophagus altifrons and 4 apistos will they be compatiblw with 2 little honey gouramis and will they be compatible with them selves in a 55gal
Is this alright???
- Thread starter mattmez
- Start date
A 55 is too small for adult altifrons, and most likely the adult festivums because males can grow 7"+ and be aggressive. I don't know what apistos you have in mind but they'd probably be fine in a 55 with honey gouramis, minus the altifrons and festivums.
Smaller ones... Geophagus parnaibae only get to 4 - 5" and a small group would probably be okay in a 55. You could also keep most Laetacara in that tank, keyhole cichlids (Cleithracara maronii), any Apistogramma, Crenicara, all the variations of rams, etc. I have my small group of electric blue acaras in a 55 because they topped out at about 4 - 5".
You can grow out most SA cichlids in a 55 but I usually upgrade them to larger tanks once they hit 4 - 5".
If you like CA cichlids, you could also try things like rainbow cichlids (Archocentrus multispinosus). I had a group of six in a 55 and they did well until they started spawning, then I had to split them up.
You can grow out most SA cichlids in a 55 but I usually upgrade them to larger tanks once they hit 4 - 5".
If you like CA cichlids, you could also try things like rainbow cichlids (Archocentrus multispinosus). I had a group of six in a 55 and they did well until they started spawning, then I had to split them up.
I hate to say it, but your taste in cichlids leans more toward the aggressive, which would require larger tanks (and larger tankmates). Honey gouramis are small and passive, and most cichlids would probably shred them to pieces.
Salvini (which are Central American, not South American) are definitely too aggressive to keep with them, and the only pikes you'd be able to keep in a tank that size are dwarf pikes. However, unless you have tons and tons of hiding places or a bonded pair of dwarf pikes, those will not work in a 55 in most cases. I have a pair of Crenicichla notophthalmus in a 55 with some angelfish grow-outs and they are doing really well, but in the past I've tried raising out juvenile dwarf pikes in 55 gallons and they just find and massacre each other.
I guess another pike option for a tank that size may be a bellycrawler pike, but again, these are too aggressive for your current stock.
If you want something colorful and peaceful that can coexist with your gouramis, try cichlids from the genus:
- Apistogramma
- Nannacara
- Cleithracara
- Laetacara
- Biotodoma
- Crenicara (Note, this is not Crenicichla, which are pike cichlids. This is Crenicara, which are basically like giant checkerboard cichlids.)
- Dicrossus
- Mikrogeophagus
My personal selection would be either Laetacara dorsigera, Laetacara curviceps, or some colorful rams. I like them all -- blues, golds, or electric blues. You can even have a couple of each to mix up the variety a bit. You can also keep a couple angelfish in this tank if you like them. I'd pick standard fin angels over veils because tankmates (including gouramis) may be tempted to nip at the long fins.
Salvini (which are Central American, not South American) are definitely too aggressive to keep with them, and the only pikes you'd be able to keep in a tank that size are dwarf pikes. However, unless you have tons and tons of hiding places or a bonded pair of dwarf pikes, those will not work in a 55 in most cases. I have a pair of Crenicichla notophthalmus in a 55 with some angelfish grow-outs and they are doing really well, but in the past I've tried raising out juvenile dwarf pikes in 55 gallons and they just find and massacre each other.
I guess another pike option for a tank that size may be a bellycrawler pike, but again, these are too aggressive for your current stock.
If you want something colorful and peaceful that can coexist with your gouramis, try cichlids from the genus:
- Apistogramma
- Nannacara
- Cleithracara
- Laetacara
- Biotodoma
- Crenicara (Note, this is not Crenicichla, which are pike cichlids. This is Crenicara, which are basically like giant checkerboard cichlids.)
- Dicrossus
- Mikrogeophagus
My personal selection would be either Laetacara dorsigera, Laetacara curviceps, or some colorful rams. I like them all -- blues, golds, or electric blues. You can even have a couple of each to mix up the variety a bit. You can also keep a couple angelfish in this tank if you like them. I'd pick standard fin angels over veils because tankmates (including gouramis) may be tempted to nip at the long fins.