need some color!

[pinkie]

Hello!

I just aquired a nice 35 gal tank from a friend. The tank is well established. She has one adult Chichlid (Severum, Green - I think)
one baby pink convict Chichlid, 5 small catfish, two sucker fish (not sure of their real name - about 6-7 inches long.) We love all the fish. I have been trying to teach myself about the different fish and I have learned the pink convict Chichlid (just added about a month ago) may be very aggressive. I am a little worried what will happen when this one grows. She bought it to replace a second Severum green Chichlid she lost. The rest of the fish have been in the tank about 3-4 years.

I love all the fish. There is just not much color. Is there any fish I can add? Most of my fish stay at the bottom and the Chichlids stay about the middle, so I thought maybe something that goes in the middle or top. With some nice contrasting colors. I like the natural colored plants I have. So, I do not think I want to add color with them. Something about pink and purple plants, just does not look right to me.

Hope you can help me out. Thanks a bunch!

 

[snakeskinner]

I don't think the convicts are too aggressive unless in pairs and spawning but I've never kept convicts or severum so I can't be positive. I suspect the 5 small catfish are cory catfish and the sucker fish are pleco's. If all these are correct, you probably need to start looking for a home for at least one of the suckerfish and I'm not sure how well cories can survive with convicts or severums. I would post this question over at the cichlid forum for those people to comment. Many many people keep convicts and a lot severums so you should get some good advice there. I would go check out the species profiles here and at planet catfish and see if you can identify those catfish first because that will make a big difference on choices. Cory catfish stay rather small and will likely become food for any but the smallest cichlids and even then they would likely get beat up in my opinion. I personally would probably find a new owner for the sucker catfish and the convict and add some more severums and see how well the cories can survive with them. I think severums are a little more docile than a lot of other cichlids but I may very well be wrong. kyle

 

[pinkie]

I think you are right. I think the catfish are cories. They have been living with the severum and the suckers (you are also right are plecos) The pink convict is the only new one. I really love it, but I think it will become too agressive as it gets older. I have been doing some research and I was thinking about Malawi Chichlids. I really like their color and from what I can gather, they would do well in this tank. I was also looking at the clown fish, from what I am seeing, they are kind of territorial also and that you should only have one in the tank.

Sorry, still new at this. I appreciate your help!!

 

[phanmc]

The severum and convict cichlids are from south america while the lake malawi are african, they prefer different water settings and may not be compatible. There are some colorful s american cichlids like the cockatoo dwarf cichlid and the firemouth.

The convict cichlid can be very agressive but since its still a baby, may grow more tolerable of tankmates that its grown up with.

 

[snakeskinner]

phanmc covered the malawi's but I'm not aware of a freshwater clownfish. are you referring to the "nemo" fish? those are saltwater and definitely won't live in there. As for other clownfish there are clown versions of several type of fish like clown pleco's but I just can't think of a clownfish off hand. KYle

 

[pinkie]

Thanks so much for the info to all that replied!! I think I got it now. You are right.... Clownfish are saltwater.... :sad I will try some of the other south american chichlids as suggested. Good luck to all..... I will keep learning as much as I can and hopefully the fish are happier for it. I know I am getting so much enjoyment from watching them. I hope they will be as happy with me as I am with them.