My perfect cichlid tank - anyone else have one?

[Jayhawk]

I just spent a good 30 minutes simply staring at my aquarium. It's only a 20 long, but it has 4 bolivian rams, 4 black phantom tetras, two otos, and one clown pleco. I love this tank - from the shy clown pleco (who sometimes hides on the plants, sitting still, like you can't see a 2 1/2 inch pleco hanging off either side of that tiny plant leaf) to the absolutely non-shy bolivian rams always out and about keeping up their territorial boundaries. Granted, things might change if the rams ever pair up, but for the past 6 months it's been fishie nirvana.

Anyone else have a tank like that going - one that's just perfect in your mind?

Eric

[livebearerfreak]

yupp i got my 75 gallon perfect for me lol

[ksane]

I've got 18-some tanks and feel that way every time I make the rounds to feed or just watch them. I try to always match fish so there's no chasing or stress. I like it so much better that way. I never understood how some people can want an aggressive tank with fish fighting all the time.

[Slappy*McFish]

2004 Welcome back from the dead!

[Jayhawk]

Yep Slappy, I thought the same myself. Those fish I wrote about are long gone (except the now 10 year old clown pleco).

My current cichlids are a trio (a pair plus a spare) of Thysochromis ansorgii plus a leopard bushfish, the old clown pleco, and 4 variatus platys. It's a nice set-up, but I have a hankering for a Vietnamese/SE asian set up with harlequin rasboras and either a paradise fish or a blue/gold gourami (plus the bushfish...he has to stay and the clown pleco, too).

The grass is always greener on the other side of the aquarium...so to speak.

Eric

[hollyfish2000]

Yes, my 60 gallon, set up in October, merged two existing planted tanks with a stock overhaul. And it's perfect.

Stocking:

Five Bolivian rams
18 rummynose tetras
9 cories
2 BN (both albino, one with long fins)
1 a. borelli female (her boyfriend died in their previous tank)

It is heavily planted with swords, crypts, java fern, onion plant, various anubias both large and small, cardinal plant, chain sword, etc. Big pieces of driftwood. After battling an initial algae outbreak, it is now completely perfect!!