What do you recommend?

[saraha]

Ok, so I'm ready for a change in scenery of fish and a couple places I'm willing to go is Cichlid community/species, or fw species.
I'm thinking of starting a small cichlid tank for my 20gal. But I'm not sure where to start. I know a lot of them grow very big and can be territorial so I want to make sure I choose the right mates and the right fish for this size tank.

It is not completely cycled yet, it is planted not heavily but enough. The substrate is a small river rock sort (I'm not entirely positive) and there's rock and driftwood in there. Just in case any of that has any particular meaning.

So any clues? or points in a certain direction? All I need a kick so I can get planning and make adjustments!
Thanks, Saraha

/Edit- My tap water is approx 7.4 -7.2

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Apistos, german blue rams, bolivian rams, or kribensis can work. Only one species and only a pair can work except for the apistogrammas i belive they like to be in a harem. 20 gallon is not large enough to do a community cichlid tank, so you could only get a pair of cichlids and then add in some top-dwelling dither fish such as tetras or danios, and also some bottom fish like cories.

I would also suggest a group of Tangynikan Shelldwellers, but that would mean you changing around your tank and raising the pH.

:)
HTH
-Diana

[saraha]

Sounds, good thank-you!

Yeah I wasn't expecting a community tank with all cichlids, but one can dream no?

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

I had a dream... lol... got my cichlids and soon ended up with 7 tanks crammed into my bedroom :D

[chinnp]

Do a web search for dwarf cichlids. Most of these tend to be peaceful and are good in a small tank. I've had limited sucess with blue rams, but they're very cool looking fish. I wouldn't be that worried about having to raise the ph in your tank. I've found it's much easier to raise ph than it is to lower it.

[bblboy54]

......to do a community cichlid tank, so you could only get a pair of cichlids and then add in some top-dwelling dither fish such as tetras or danios, and also some bottom fish like cories.

-Diana

Forgive me for the newbie question but tetras are ok with cichlids? :idea2:

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

They are ok with some types! What kind of cichlids are you interested in? Any of those cichlids mentioned above should be fine with a little school of tetras in a tank 15 gallons or larger.


:)
-Diana

[chinnp]

With cichlids a lot will depend on the personality of the fish too. I had a blue ram in a tank with some cardinal tetras and if they came anywhere close to his side of the tank he would chase them all over the place.

[bblboy54]

Ok, I was scared there for a second. I actually have an African Cichlid tank in my parents house and they took care of a Jack Dempsey (RIP). That was a sad moment... I loved that fish but realized he was stressed in the small tank he was in so someone said that he may survive with my African's.... the fish stressed him and then the blue lobster had a feast :(

After having gone through that experience, I couldnt see how tetras would survive.... but I see now that there are actually smaller cichlids as well...

Someday I'll learn a little more about fish ;)