Silver Dollars With African Cichlids

[CichlidKeeper01]

Hello everyone! I have been researching having Silver Dollars in with African Cichlids. What I am seeing from different sources is you will be fine, and other sources saying not to do it based on diffrences in water parameters. I was wondering if anyone had tried it. If so, what was your experience? Can they adjust to harder water? If not, is there a similar fish that can live in African Cichlids water parameters?

 

[tlindsey]

Hello everyone! I have been researching having Silver Dollars in with African Cichlids. What I am seeing from different sources is you will be fine, and other sources saying not to do it based on diffrences in water parameters. I was wondering if anyone had tried it. If so, what was your experience? Can they adjust to harder water? If not, is there a similar fish that can live in African Cichlids water parameters?

I personally had 3 different male African Peacock Cichlid in with Silver Dollar's in a 180 gallon aquarium and the territorial Cichlids would chase and nip the Silver Dollar's. Silver Dollar's are fast but so are African Cichlid. The Silver Dollar's fin's were tattered so I don't recommend it.

 

[twentyleagues]

Water parameters aside like tlindsey says African and sa/ca fish speak a different "language" so to say and usually that causes more issues then water parameters like pH. Most fish can adapt. But if highly stressed the difference in pH can and will cause issues.

 

[duanes]

I will assume by African cichlids, you mean Rift lake Africans.
There are riverine African cichlids that come from the softer water silver dollars inhabit, like Jewel Cichlids, and the Kribensis clade.

Basic comparisons of rift lake to SDs
pH of rift lakes 7.5 to 8.5+
preferred pH for Silver Dollars 6-7
Average water Temp of rift lakes 75'F
preferred temp for Silver Dollars 78-82'F

What are the water parameters of your tap water?
If its somewhere in between those extremes, it might work.

But that aside there are plenty of Central American Tetras that would be more appropriate, and live in similar pH and water hardness to the Rift Lake Africans.
Astyanax and Roeboides tetras (there are also others like certain Hyphressobrycon) that come from the harder waters of Mexico and others countries south thru Panama.
Astyanax also grow to a similar size to your average rift lake aquarium denizen, and are very fast swimmers.
I have similar size wild caught Panamanian cichlids, with the Panamanian Roeboides tetras. They were both caught in the same river where pH was around 8, and temps in the mid 70sF.
Below the Roeboides I keep with hard water cichlids.

Video of the tank Below
Panamanian Tank

 

[CichlidKeeper01]

Thanks for your guys' responses. Based on them, probably not going to try silver dollars anytime soon. I will probably go with a species of Central American Tetra.

 

[CichlidKeeper01]

I will assume by African cichlids, you mean Rift lake Africans.
There are riverine African cichlids that come from the softer water silver dollars inhabit, like Jewel Cichlids, and the Kribensis clade.

Basic comparisons of rift lake to SDs
pH of rift lakes 7.5 to 8.5+
preferred pH for Silver Dollars 6-7
Average water Temp of rift lakes 75'F
preferred temp for Silver Dollars 78-82'F

What are the water parameters of your tap water?
If its somewhere in between those extremes, it might work.

But that aside there are plenty of Central American Tetras that would be more appropriate, and live in similar pH and water hardness to the Rift Lake Africans.
Astyanax and Roeboides tetras (there are also others like certain Hyphressobrycon) that come from the harder waters of Mexico and others countries south thru Panama.
Astyanax also grow to a similar size to your average rift lake aquarium denizen, and are very fast swimmers.
I have similar size wild caught Panamanian cichlids, with the Panamanian Roeboides tetras. They were both caught in the same river where pH was around 8, and temps in the mid 70sF.
Below the Roeboides I keep with hard water cichlids.
View attachment 1420572
Video of the tank Below
Panamanian Tank

Nice tank!