Most docile/community chiclid?

Oh and I did a water change today but it barely budged the ammonia. I'm wondering if it has to do with the fact that they have ick right now and if that is increasing the ammonia even more. When I had my water tested at all the aquarium stores and pet stores, they always said my water was perfect. I always bring in a sample when I go in to check. Now I test myself and its very difficult to lower that green color to yellow. In fact, I'm yet to do be able to do it.

You'll have to wait a little bit longer. You need your bacteria build up before you see the ammonia make any significant drop. Water changes will really help, but your main priority should be to get your tank cycled.

Pet stores don't always have accurate test kits, usually more than often they're expired test strips. Test the water yourself.

Getting some seeded media can really help. Try to find a friend or a fish store that will lend you some.


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This is a perfect cichlid for you, yellow lab. They are yellow with a green eye and a black bar on their dorsal fin. Mine in my mbuna cichlid tank is very shy and peaceful. It also only gets 4-4 1/2 inches. It is a mbuna cichlid so that means it needs a high pH and a high temperature.


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In that small of a tank with those fish I wouldnt want to be keeping any African cichlids in there at all. Just sayin'.


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[TD]Dwarf Tanganyikan Cichlid ~ (Blue-Faced) Duboisi Cichlid[/TD]
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These are very docile and will not go in for the kill. But I keep African Cichlids, and as they get bigger, you are going to have some problems. Start seperating them now before there are casualties. Put the Africans in one tank and the angels and the rest in another tank.
 
A Bolivian Ram or Ram might work here.
 
How big of a water change are you doing? I would do minimally a 50% everyday. You may not move your number on your test...but you dilute it by 50% for your fish. Ammonia is very toxic and causes a lot of stress which won't help your fish recover from the ich. Test everyday and do your water changes until ammonia is 0. Then still keep checking everyday for awile.
 
I did a 10 gallon water change yesterday and it barely lowered ammonia levels. I was afraid to do anymore because the siphon freaks out the fish and the filter status to sputter if you go lower. If it wasn't so difficult to restart I would just have unplugged it. I am going to the store AGAIN today to inquire about treatingI the tank with my loach and hopefully to investigate a product called ammonia lock, I think to help with the levels. I also read there is a product I can put in to help the filter build up the good bacteria. I cannot move any fish until this tank is treated.
 
I love checkerboards so I definitly agree with that. Others you could think of are apistos and rams.

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In that small of a tank with those fish I wouldnt want to be keeping any African cichlids in there at all. Just sayin'.


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I have 1 in my 20 gallon and it's very happy, I have sand and perfect parameters for it. I also have 2 other mbuna cichlids, mbunas get about 4 inches and they are not as agressive and social as other cichlids, they are very hardy fish and don't need as much as other cichlids, they are a perfect beginners cichlid.


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I believe keyhole cichlids are the most peaceful, followed closely by checkerboards, then golden dwarf acaras, then bolivian and GB rams. Any of these can be aggressive when breeding, however.
 
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