New to Cichlids...where do I start???

[Buttercup]

Hello....

I am new to cichlids and to this site and I need help! I have a 55 gal. empty for some cichlids but what is compatible? I need colorful fish that won't kill each other, and other than that I'm open to anything! I have had community tanks for years (no cichlids except angels) but now I want to try something new. Any info is appreciated!!!

[PumaWard]

Well, I would say that if you are an experienced keeper and understand the nitrogen cycle very well, you might want to dip into the wonderful world of discus :D. Of course, you should research extensively so you know exaclty what you are getting into. They can be sensitive to things in the beginning, but once established, I have found them to be quite hardy (at least mine are).

http://www.simplydiscus.com is a good forum for in-depth information. I don't completely aggree with the whole bare-bottom tank thing, but it's all up to you.

If you aren't comfortable with discus, then you might want to look into Dwarf cichlids, such as Kribs, blue/gold rams, keyholes, bolivian rams, and Apistogramma species.


HTH

[JSchmidt]

If you want to try you hand at african cichlids, the yellow labs (Labidochromis caeruleus) of Lake Malawi are very pretty fish. Sometimes they are called electric yellows at the LFS. They are less aggressive than many of the other Rift Lake cichlids and you could keep a number of them in a 55.

You could even get a trio of a fish like Pseudotropheus saulosi, a pretty blue-barred fish, to complement the yellow labs.

Add a trio of a small synodonitis catfish, like Syn. petricola or Syn. multipunctatus, and you'd have a nice beginner african tank.

In a 55, you could get away with a trio of each species above and not be overstocked. Just be sure to read up on the requirements of africans and you can avoid a lot of typical problems.

HTH,
Jim

[Buttercup]

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I would love to try discus, but I'm a little intimidated. I'm hoping to find some cichlids that are a little more forgiving-but still colorful and peacful. I don't ask for much do I? :rolleyes:

I really like aulonocara nyasse...any advice?

[rich]

where to start? depends on what you desire in keeping cichlids.

do you want a community tank with a variety of fish and a couple cichlids that will get along? try keyholes, apisto. cacatuoides, kribs.

do you want a big tank with alot of differant cichlids? go with africans. having not kept any i cant give any specific advice on types but what ive read it seems you can actually stock heavy to prevent aggresion.

do you want a couple large peacefull fish and have a big tank to spare? try firemouths, acara, geophagus, severums, satanoperca.

do you have a huge tank and want a couple big mean fish? try jags, Jack dempsey, oscars. dovii if youve got a real big tank ( in the hundreds of gallons range)

[JSchmidt]

Overstocking a 55 really isn't a good idea, especially for a beginner. I recommend starting simple - one or two species - because it's a lot easier to avoid deaths to aggression.

Buttercup, I don't know much about aulonocara, other than many of them are quite pretty. I'm sure there are others here who keep peacocks that can jump in with suggestions.

Best,
Jim

[Buttercup]

Thanks rich and JSchmidt for the feedback! I went to the LFS today and window shopped. I'd like to keep the fish under 6" or so...they had some very nice yellow labs. They had a display tank with a mixture of malawi and tanganyikans, should they be kept together? Also, how are angels in an all cichlid tank? (2-4 angels with other cichlids)

[PumaWard]

Angels shouldn't be kept with rift lake cichlids because their temperment/water chemistry are so vastly different. An angel probably could adjust to the water, but the rift lake cichlids would harass it to no end; you would have a sick/dead angel in no time.

You can keep angels with dwarf cichlids such as previously mentioned kribensis, keyholes, Apistogramma, and rams.


HTH

[JSchmidt]

I agree... angels have no place in a tank with Rift Lake cichlids.

I don't know much about Tanganyikans, so I can't comment on mixing them with Malawis. The water requirements are sufficiently similar for fish from both lakes, but I can't comment on what fish might be compatible.

Good luck,
Jim

[Buttercup]

Sorry about the confusion with the angels and rift lake cichlids...I meant to ask about angels with other new world cichlids. :duh:
Does anyone know how long yellow labs take to reach sexual maturity??