Malawi or South American?
- Thread starter Plantedtank12
- Start date
Plantedtank12;4744820; said:
SA = Clown Loach. African = Synodontis......I have petricola, multipunctatus, and eruptus in my African tanks. Eruptus get big and kinda ugly. Multi and petricolas are cool looking fish.
I have seen Pictus cats with cichlids, but I not sure they will do too well if you have some real aggressive, territorial cichlids. I am a fan of Pictus Cats, but not the striped ones.
Thank you Brian I have never had a tank big enough to keep a clown loach in until now but I have been interested. Do you think a school of about 5-6 would be a good size school?
If you want to keep small South American (not Central American) cichlids, I don't think you could find a better bottom feeder than Corydoras catfish. Come in a big variety of colours sizes and patterns.
SA cichlids in a 55G I'd go sand, driftwood, plants, and any combination of Bolivian rams, blue rams, keyhole cichlids, gold dwarfs, or any of the innumerable species of Apistogramma. Could try angelfish or Mesonauta too. Small SAs would be the best option if you want a nicely planted display.
For something slightly bigger you could get a group of smaller eartheaters like Geophagus pindare or 'Tapajos' orange head.
For small Central American cichlids in a 55G I'd do a similar setup of sand, driftwood, but only the hardiest plants, and maybe two pairs from any of the following: convicts or relatives, firemouths or other Thorichthys, blue acaras, rainbow cichlids, sajica.
SA cichlids in a 55G I'd go sand, driftwood, plants, and any combination of Bolivian rams, blue rams, keyhole cichlids, gold dwarfs, or any of the innumerable species of Apistogramma. Could try angelfish or Mesonauta too. Small SAs would be the best option if you want a nicely planted display.
For something slightly bigger you could get a group of smaller eartheaters like Geophagus pindare or 'Tapajos' orange head.
For small Central American cichlids in a 55G I'd do a similar setup of sand, driftwood, but only the hardiest plants, and maybe two pairs from any of the following: convicts or relatives, firemouths or other Thorichthys, blue acaras, rainbow cichlids, sajica.
Thanks burto I have 5 cories in my 18 and 2 5in. long bronze cores in the 29 and they need a new home so a 55 would be great, I could also get some more large cories at my LFS they carry large bronze cories all the time so I could get them some more cories. Could they be kept with a school of clown loaches?
Well I just bought the driftwood and gravel for the aquarium and Im gonna wait a while before I buy the plants so thank you to everyone who has posted and I plan on doing and all ram tank. Meaning bolivians, germans and some other species. Thanks once again to everyone who posted and I look forward to venturing into the world of cichlids.
I have done both Africans and South Americans. I am currently into the South Americans. My suggestion would be to decide if you want a tank filled with rocks or if you want a planted and driftwood filled tank. If you want more of a rocky look go with Africans and South Americans in the planted tank. If you decide on Africans, be aware there are 2 major groups of Malawi Cichlids, Haps and Mbuna. Mbuna are typically more aggressive, smaller, and more colorful regardless of sex. Males Haps are spectacular looking but the females are mostly drab. Before anyone flames me these are generalizations and there are exceptions to these rules. Having done both, I would go South American. The fish seem much more personable that Africans. I have a couple Severums that eat from my hands!
Jim
Jim
