A dork wants to know:
I know that you CANNOT combine oscers, Dempsey’s, firemouths, and the very aggressive fish with tropicals, but can you mix the peaceful cichlids with tropical fish? Thank you.
I know that you CANNOT combine oscers, Dempsey’s, firemouths, and the very aggressive fish with tropicals, but can you mix the peaceful cichlids with tropical fish? Thank you.
August 29th, 2009 at 4:36 am
Cichlids are semi-aggressive. You must have at least a minimum tank size of 30-gallons. I am afraid however that the only tank mates that Cichlids can have are Plecostomus.
August 30th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Even relatively calm cichlids like Electric yellow labidochromis will tear up a peaceful tropical tank. Cichlids should not be kept with other fish especially if the other fish are smaller.
I have seen larger sinodonus cats(corys) kept with cichlids. Even then cichlids need a high ph and hard water to really thrive. A normal tropical tank would not be happy in these conditions. I have kept cichlids for many years.
Keep plecotomus or sinodonus, I have even heard of brazilian rainbows, but mostly cichlids must be kept alone. It can still be rewarding though. Most South Americans like oscars or jack dempseys are kind of boring, 2 or 3 to a tank. But with africans you can get so many colors within just one species.
Enjoy it is truly rewarding.
August 31st, 2009 at 2:19 pm
i don’t believe u can however if you go to petco or pet smart their fish r set up in categories and usually u can only and I’m pretty sure u CAN NOT mix categories
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
It really depends what cichlid you are thinking of and what you would want as tank mates.I have Bolivian rams in with upside down and raphael catfish.
September 4th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Yes you can … your level of success will be determined by the amount of research you do on the individual fish you plan to mix. I’m mixed African with south american cichlids and Asian “community” varieties along with some other odd balls. The key is not to mix fish that one like hard alkaline water with others that like soft acidic water. Many tank raised varieties have adapted to “live” in most aquarium parameters 6.8 - 7.6 PH and 72 *- 78* temp but to thrive you need to lean things more in their favor. Most African for instance will “do better” with temps in the 80’s and PH in the 8.0 - 8.5 range and most Discus will do better still in the 80’s but in the 6.5 PH range (both are cichlids though) while gold fish will like cooler water in the 60’s to very low 70’s.
Bottom line, KNOW “YOUR” FISH! You don’t have to know everything about fish in general but KNOW the fish you keep. Are you the dog owner that keeps their dog outside in a fenced in back yard on a chain, hey that dog’s alive right, or are you the one that teaches them to stay in the yard buy a breed specific food and visits the vet for checkups more than you take yourself to the doctor?
sorry to get long but had to address one of the “answers” MOST of the folks that work in your petcos and petsmarts are nice young folks working their way through college or some other part of their life and actually know little more than are on the tags in front of the aquariums. Even a lot of the managers know some about fish but only because they have to do the orders and talk to the distributors. Unless it’s a fish only store you’ll be hard pressed to find better advise at a mom and pop store either. You have the best resource at your fingertips and on your shoulders. There are MANY forums with folks rich in precise knowledge. Search fish or aquarium forum in google and you’ll come up with pages! Narrow it down more to your question like cichlid forum or tropical fish forum and your still get hundreds.
A word of caution take a lot of advice you get with a grain of salt. Many of these old timers are set in their ways and speak in absolutes. Take in all the advice you’ll get, and you will get a lot in most of them, and find what works for you. But by no means in the 20 whatever year old at the local pet(who ever) an authority on aquariums in most any town (see you thought you were going to get me caught in an absolute there didn’t you