Are CA and SA cichlids pretty muvh the same or are they different? Because i would go for SA if there are different choices.
CA for a 20 gallon
- Thread starter Andy16
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They are quite different: most SAs love acidic water, and most CAs love basic water. Go over to the species profiles here and see what you can find that lives in each place! 
One big advantge to SA's over Ca's for the smaller tank owners is that there are allot more SA's that will go into a tank that size as opposed to CA's. Most CA's are big fish.
The water conditions are allot more forgiving with CA and SA cichlids. They can live happilly together in a tank.
The sight variation difference in water types is not big enough to cause the fish any harm or discomfort.
The water conditions are allot more forgiving with CA and SA cichlids. They can live happilly together in a tank.
The sight variation difference in water types is not big enough to cause the fish any harm or discomfort.
Thanks, ill look into SA cichlids. Arent discus and acaras SA? Could i get away with one or two discus or no?
Discus would absolutely not work in the tank you are describing. I would suggest that you look at Aequidens curviceps and/or Aequidens dorsigerus as very attractive and practical alternatives.
Concur. Discus are not good when kept solitarily or only in a pair (one becomes dominant over the other) and your 20 gal probably doesn't allow for the smaller of those two options.
aequidens are acaras right? because u saw an emarald acara and that was the second thing i was going ot ask. I really didnt think the discus would work but i was just making sure.
The two species I mentioned are in the acara family. Well, given the number of species that get reclassified at one point or another, they might NOW be in a different family, but at least they USED to be acaras. In any case you can find a lot of information about them under the names I gave.
However, I should note that they are much smaller than the rest of the species, and that is what you would need for a tank as small as a 20 gallon. Not as small as dwarf cichlids, but much smaller than the average acara.
However, I should note that they are much smaller than the rest of the species, and that is what you would need for a tank as small as a 20 gallon. Not as small as dwarf cichlids, but much smaller than the average acara.
Anything still in Aequidens is a "true acara." However, all cichlids are member of the same family, no matter what generic name they have.
I believe, though, that each of those two is a member of the genus Laetacara, the so-called "Smiling Acaras."
I believe, though, that each of those two is a member of the genus Laetacara, the so-called "Smiling Acaras."
Thanks for all of the help
Someone on another site said i could keep a jack dempsey. A far as i know these are really aggresive and get pretty big. And i also thought that it was like 50 gallons min for these fish. Just making sure
Someone on another site said i could keep a jack dempsey. A far as i know these are really aggresive and get pretty big. And i also thought that it was like 50 gallons min for these fish. Just making sure
