stocking american cichlids for 55g

[kingtut9706]

I have a 55g tank with a 5" festivum, 6" angelfish, 6 black skirt tetras, and 7 cory cats. The tank has a carpet of red cryptocorynes in regular gravel on stock lighting with a couple pieces of driftwood. I want to put more cichlids in the tank and I want some suggestions from people who have experience keeping south american cichlids.

My festivum and angelfish are generally peaceful fish. Once in a great while they will chase each other. I don't want a severum because they get too big, and I don't want fish that are too aggressive or will eat the tetras. I was thinking either a rainbow cichlid, or an acara, or maybe a few rams or a few apistos.

Will any of these fish cause problems?

If anyone can think of other fish to add that will be compatible, aren't too large, and will not eat the smaller fish, please give me some suggestions.

Thank you.

[MySpace Mike]

Well if you buy a small to medium CA/SA Cichlid and they are raised with smaller fish the chances of them killing the tetras are slim. I recommend maybe a pair of GBR's(german blue rams) or 2 FireMouths, again if you buy them s juveniles and raise them with the smaller fish the chances of them killing the smaller fish are slim, im not saying they wont kill anything, im just saying the chances deminish(sp) greatly by being raised with them.

[scott-kim]

You could go with some Leatacara dorsigerus, or curviceps, maybe some rams, possibly some stiendachner red humps, some keyholes are always fun, a couple multispinosa, Aequidens awanis are not as alailiable but really nice.
I wouldnt suggest firemouths for your tank, they get pretty big, a little nippy (if they spawn there could be problems) and dont fit into your SA theme.
If you mean a blue acara I would say there a little big and can get aggressive.

[Ruben Tolon]

I agree with the suggestion of Laetacara, they are fantastic fishes. I would stay away from the red humps only bc males sometimes tend to be somewhat rough, though not really aggressive at all. If you can get some Bujurquina that would be great, they are interesting small acara-types.

[kingtut9706]

I wouldnt suggest firemouths for your tank, they get pretty big, a little nippy

I agree. I heard firemouths and green terrors are a little more aggressive. My tank is a peaceful one. I contains the wimps of the south american cichlid world.

I will take some suggestions of the rainbow cichlid, keyhole cichlid, and the rams.

If I get 1 keyhole cichlid, 1 rainbow cichlid, and 2 rams, will I be overstocking the tank? (I have 1 festivum, 1 angelfish, 6 black skirt tetras, and 7 cories in a 55g.) And by overstocking I mean space-wise, not filtration-wise. I still want the fish to have room to swim and keep aggression minimal.

[Ruben Tolon]

rainbow cichlid (Herotilapia) are Central American though.

[Star_Rider]

yes, they are central am cichlids so they would be outside the theme for a SA tank. but they are relatively peacful and do not get too large.
the keyholes are a good choice not very colorful a bit timid but they are good tank mates for the other species in your tank.

I would not consider the tank over stocked. but you would be approaching the carrying capacity of the tank.