Can I mix other fish with my cichlids

[shime24]

I have african cichlids, I was wondering if anyone else has put other species of fish with thier cichlids. I am interested in fresh water blow fish or discus. If anyone has any info it would be greatly apreciated.
Thanks, Adam

[Wyomingite]

...fresh water blow fish or discus. If anyone has any info it would be greatly apreciated.
Thanks, Adam

Discus, absolutely not. Water parameters needed for discus are way different: soft, low pH water. As for puffers, I'd say again, not. Although more aggressive than discus, and even though they would be able to handle the hard water fairly well, I would bet money that a relatively slow puffer would be tore up in no time by the cichlids. Somebody here may have had success with that combo and disagree with me, but I wouldn't try it.

Fish ya may want to consider include plecos, Synodontis catfish, and eels from the genus Mastacembalus. I've also seen tanks with giant danios and rainbows in them, but have never tried it myself.

WYite

[shime24]

Thanks for the info. I may still try the puffer though. I will let you know how it works out. I may add some plecos as well.

[Pittbull]

The puffers can deliver a bad bite but i am with Wyom they are slow targets and will get the beat down of their life from a african cichlid.

Its sorta like the new hobbyist Betta syndrome, thinking that just because its called a fighting fish that it can beat up other fish when truly that's not the issue at all and in the end your left with a fish body without fins..

If you must just be ready to intervene and have another setup ready for it when it doesn't work out ..

[shime24]

So are there any fish that I can mix with my cichlids then?

[Galliente]

Pretty much not plecos can mix then obvious other cichlids. Not to mention they dig so no plants either.

[Galliente]

Which cichlids do you have?

[Pittbull]

You can add fish that are able to stay away from the africans aggression like rainbowfish and danio's plus they hang around the top water column.

Loaches are able to withstand cichlid aggression but will live among the bottom areas sorta in the line of fire when your substrate spawning cichlids start to breed.


Other specific cichlids like amazons and central americans get too large and will wreak havoc on each other and not to mention the different water perimeters involved.

A lot of hobbyist will do Mbuna and Tanganyika's mixed together just make sure they will be tolerent of each other.

But as for Tetras and others they usually can not stand up to the Africans..

[Wyomingite]

Forgot about loaches. Never been a loach fan myself.

WYite

[Pittbull]

Yeah loaches can be down right evil, hehehe have you ever been spined by one of these guys, i have and boy does it hurt, hehehe..

[Wyomingite]

Worse thing that ever got me was a pictus cat. Got caught in the net when I was trying to get some tetras outta the tank. Spined me when I was trying to cut him free. Ingrateful, little sucker, LOL. Hurt for a week.

WYite

[Pittbull]

Oh yeah i bet that did hurt a bit..

I cant count how many times i have been finned by a fish in this hobby or out sport fishing hehehe but it never gets any better..

[Galliente]

Oh yeah i bet that did hurt a bit..

I cant count how many times i have been finned by a fish in this hobby or out sport fishing hehehe but it never gets any better..




so the loaches will manage with cichlids, oscars/jacks

[Pittbull]

I was talking about loaches with africans, oscars and jacks are a different story, the majority of loaches out there are small compared to others, so a full grown oscar and jack may see them as menu items.

There are some hobbyists that will say they have raised clown loaches and botia's with oscars and jacks but if you start them together young they should grow about the same rate.

I have raised several loaches in my time and i used to specialize in skunk loaches but they were small loaches, never really leaped into the larger ones.

Also the clown loaches need a colony to be happy as for these guys when stressed really come down with the ich..

[Galliente]

do loaches rip plants up???

[Coler]

I don't think so. But I would be very reluctant to put anything in with Africans other than other Africans, carefully selected for colour scheme and personality, except for synodontis catfish (reccomended) or a pleco (less reccomended).

[Rbishop]

^^^ Yep, synos.....

[GPRC]

As mentioned, Giant Danio's and Pleco's are the only fish we have been successful keeping with our African's. We have two of each in our 75g. The Danio's are OK, they keep to themselves at the top of the tank. Not much personality IMO, maybe if we had a few more... They take up space as far as I'm concerned, don't really add much to the tank.

[shime24]

Yeah, I have 2 Plecos that are about 5 inches, Thats the whole reason why I started this fish tank, I built a koi pond outside this summer and it gets really cold here in Illinois. So I needed to decide what to do with my 2 plecos for the winter. Well I got the bright idea to get a fish tank, my first one, so what better to get for a begginer than a 75 gallon tank with a fuluval 405 and 12 cichlids. Well, it turned out to be a very expensive move for my 2 plecos, but I am so happy I went with a tank of this size with the canister filter. I have only had it about 4 months but I am learning as I go and I love having a fish tank.

[Pittbull]

Cool deal man enjoy your fish and soon you will have a few tanks, hehehe..

[mostlycichlids]

I have never had luck with plecos but Synodontis are a great choice....just be careful some synos can get two feet and some stay three inches.

[Coler]

My personal fave for a good size tank (three feet plus in length) are synodontis multipunctatus. They get too a nice size (about 6 - 8 inches tops), are well able to handle the africans, and are really attractive little catfish. Do one, or in a four foot tank subject to other bioload a group of 3 - 5. If you have 2 the dominant one will harass the other, not let it feed etc.