keeping smailing acaras (Laetacara Curviceps)

[Flower1982]

So I've decided to get a pair of smiling acaras (Laetacara Curviceps) for my 20 gallon tall tank.
I think my pet store can order some in for me. But before I ask them to order them I'd like to do some more research on them.
The common name for them is flag cichlid right? How should I set up my tank to make sure they are happy?
I don't have many plants in the tank right now but I get easily get more plants.
I have 4 peices of rock (they are small rocks) and I have them arranged to make a kind of like a cave although the top is opened.
My tank hasn't had fish in it for a few weeks now (I do have a few snails in it) but the tank has been set up for over 2 years.
So i'm hoping my tank is still considered cycled. Does anyone here have smiling acaras preferably the Laetacara Curviceps?
I'd appreciate all or any information I can get.

 

[Shaysfishys]

Lateacara Curviceps are a wonderful little fish, I keep mine in a few different setups but all have very lil decor. Spawning most of the time they chose an open area or the corner of the tank. Mine that are in tanks with decorations don't use them they're always in the open areas. Tank mates for mine are either guppies, platys, couple live with angels but I'm sure there are lots of other options for mates just keep in mind they are very docile.

Lateacara Curviceps aren't normally referred to as the "red belly" that would be the Lateacara Dorsigera (hard to find), Lateacara Thayeri are referred to as the "red belly flag cichlid" these get bigger and would need a bit more room. Just got some recently but the Lateacara Buckelkopf are another great fish just they like their tanks on the warm side.

 

[Flower1982]

Well maybe I won't have to worry about getting more decorations for the tank. I do want a get a few more plants for the tank though. What temperature do they like? Since I'll be keeping them in a 20 gallon high tank I was planning on keeping just a pair of Lateacara Curviceps. How can you tell the difference between male and female? Do they need dither fish or would they be ok with being the only fish in the tank?

 

[Shaysfishys]

The first time mine spawned for me they were in with some dime size discus that were in holding before moving to one of the bigger tanks, since then the adult pair spawned with some juveniles in the tank with them. Other than that there's usually a few male guppys in the tank with them IME they seem to do better with some type of dither when I had the original pair by themselves they weren't overly interested in spawning.

The group of Curvis that are in a catch all tank enjoy all the java moss that ends up in there.

The tanks range in temp from 80 - 82. The males have more of a pointed / trailers on the dorsal and pectral fin the females are more rounded