New Compressiceps Tank Help

[TheLorax]

I want to get into pike cichlids, so I'm thinking of setting up a planted tank, maybe around 75g and breeding some Compressiceps. Just wondering what you guys would add for tankmates, would some apistogramma be okay? Any other advice on the setup would be great, I am brand new to pikes.

 

[Mythic Figment]

I want to get into pike cichlids, so I'm thinking of setting up a planted tank, maybe around 75g and breeding some Compressiceps. Just wondering what you guys would add for tankmates, would some apistogramma be okay? Any other advice on the setup would be great, I am brand new to pikes.

Comps are mean to everything. You could do 3-4 comps in a 75 that is heavily planted, but even then, I have heard they can be so aggressive with one another that they will kill each other down to 1-2.

Apistos would probably get destroyed. I would do a large 4-6" tankmate that isn't shy/timid, but isn't aggressive either. One or two true blue acaras would work (beware of GT x blue acara hybrids). Some people have had luck with keyholes, but IME they are very timid fish and comps would keep them in hiding I would think. 3-4 kribensis might work if you get all one gender (very easy to sex them from a small size). You could also look into 1-2 Cryptoheros of the same gender.


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[TheSinisterSOB]

I want to get into pike cichlids, so I'm thinking of setting up a planted tank, maybe around 75g and breeding some Compressiceps. Just wondering what you guys would add for tankmates, would some apistogramma be okay? Any other advice on the setup would be great, I am brand new to pikes.

I would stay away from Comps as your first pike cichlid. I know of one very experienced pike keeper who had 8 Comps in a 125g, and a week later he was down to 1.

If you wanna do dwarf pike, I'd suggest regani or notophthalmus. They get a little bit bigger, and are much calmer than the psychotic compressiceps.

 

[TheLorax]

Thanks for the advice. Ended up getting a 90g, can't wait to set it up. I'll probably try notopthalmus and get a blue acara and chocolate cichlid.

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[darth pike]

I've kept comps with other dwarf cichlids without issue, though they killed JD's much larger than they were. The difference was the dwarves were smart enough not to start fights with the comps, the JD's weren't quite as bright.

But if you want more than 1 dwarf pike in there, I'd agree going with regani or wallacii.