I've never kept cichlids before

[anniejensen]

I have a 55 g planted tank and that is currently empty(save for 2 Briggs and some ramshorn and MTS). So far I'm thinking of a few Kuhli loaches(just cuz they don't eat snails, but I could move the snails, I guess, and go for some different loaches) and a small school of albino barbs.

Would cichlids work here? What kind?? Would they destroy my plants?? cuz that's pretty much a deal breaker for me.

 

[shwank005]

German Blue rams, or Bolivian Rams, Angels, Apistos. I have all of them.

 

[nugpuffer]

A group of Eartheaters (geos) would probably work.

 

[abarilot]

55g is alittle small for most available geos. Angels, rams, apistos, keyholes, and acaras. You could also replace the kuhlis with cory cats, but both will work well!

 

[Eupterus]

Geo. Juraparis are fish from hell. They need a lot of special care and are very demanding.

Anyhow, they'd get big enough to eat your kuhli loaches so if you want cichlids stick with smaller community ones.

 

[anniejensen]

I definitely want loaches. I'll probably stick with the kuhlis. Is there an order in which I should introduce the groups of fish into the tank? Like, should the cichlids go first? I would probably get rams or keyholes, as I haven't seen any of the others around here. Do they pair off? How many is a good number? All I'm thinking so far is 3-4 kuhlis and a small school of barbs.

 

[SubRosa]

There are plenty of smaller Tanganyikans that would work as well. Brichardis and their relatives, Julies, Chalinochromis, and of course shell dwellers.

 

[Pearl]

There are plenty of smaller Tanganyikans that would work as well. Brichardis and their relatives, Julies, Chalinochromis, and of course shell dwellers.

Would brichardis tear up the plants in her tank?

 

[Coler]

Well, there's a whole heap of African rift lake cichlids that can go in a 55 and not just smaller tanganyikans. If the tank is to be a properly planted set up (as opposed to my gammy old 'jam java fern in the rockwork' type thing) then none of them are really going to work without astonishing amounts of effort. Also you're not going to keep e.g. kuhli loaches or corys or anything else but africans with those.

In response to the question of when the Cichlids should go in the tank, as a general rule of thumb you should add the most territorial/aggressive (so in this instance the cichlids) last of all. If adding a group of them they should all go in together.

Also, these fish tend to be the 'show piece' type fish - you want to ensure tank is running well before you add - so last of all to go in, all in one group.