Recommendations on Dwarf Cichlids?

Would I need to cull with a 20? Or just cull til I had about 20-30 fry? Would keeping a school of tetras in the parent tank, and parent raising for a while keep the nmbers low, about where I want them at 20-30? Or would the tetras eat all of them, or none of them?

Thanks so much for all your help, you have been wonderful.
 
Also, I am thinking about switching out my flourite chips for pool filter sand. Would this be a good move or a bad move for keeping the A. cacatuoides? Or is it just more work that it's worth? Would it help with plants, especially carpeting plants, at all?f
 
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Another cool, underrated dwarf cichlid is the Nannacara anomola. They're small enough for a 20g, and are pretty good parents (although there is some aggression after you get wigglers). They need some good hiding spots to feel comfortable, and to spawn in.
 
Would I need to cull with a 20? Or just cull til I had about 20-30 fry? Would keeping a school of tetras in the parent tank, and parent raising for a while keep the nmbers low, about where I want them at 20-30? Or would the tetras eat all of them, or none of them?

Thanks so much for all your help, you have been wonderful.

Any more about the above or the pool filter sand? I really appreciate it guys, the advice is awesome. I'm pretty set on A. cacatuoides at this point.
 
Would I need to cull with a 20? Or just cull til I had about 20-30 fry? Would keeping a school of tetras in the parent tank, and parent raising for a while keep the nmbers low, about where I want them at 20-30? Or would the tetras eat all of them, or none of them?

Thanks so much for all your help, you have been wonderful.

If you're really interested in getting the biggest bang for your buck I'd purchase a 20 long and make that your main tank and relegate the 20 tall to grow out duty. Tetras may or may not thin out the herd much. I don't have much experience with apistos, hopefully someone a bit more knowledgeable will chime in. Most cichlids are pretty effective parents. I've researched them pretty extensively as they are a species I'd like to keep someday ( I dig my shrimps too much right now ). If it were me I would expect to grow 5-10 to sellable size in the main tank. That's down from 50 or so per spawn.
 
Also, I am thinking about switching out my flourite chips for pool filter sand. Would this be a good move or a bad move for keeping the A. cacatuoides? Or is it just more work that it's worth? Would it help with plants, especially carpeting plants, at all?f

Leave the flourite. Eventually you may want to upgrade your lighting and in that event you'll already have your substrate in place. Plants kept in sand must take in their nutrients through the water column or through fert tablets placed near their root systems. The flourite will release nutrients to plants over time making fertilizing ( or CO2 for that matter ), unnecessary in a low light tank.
 
Yeah, I have heard that if you keep tetras with GBRs you won't have any fry left, as the tetras move fster than the fry and/or parents. But a lot of sites are saying tetras are good tankmates for apistos, but hasn't mentioned if that holds true with fry, so i am confused.

I liked the idea of the sand because most sites are recommending fine gravel or sand for most all species of cichlids, and many other species as well. Plus I wonder if carpet plants would do better in it, and I think it looks better. But I did buy it for the fertilization thing... I'll have to think about this more. I do dose with weekly liquid ferts.

Personally, I'm liking the triple reds. I like the ones that have a slight bit of yellow and balck mixed in with the red (not sure what this is called). it's another reason I'm thinking of switching substrate, because that would mean red fish and red substrate, which I think would take away from the fish.
 
What dwarf cichlids do you think might work for me?

A pair* of A. Cacatuoides or A. Borelli (and also Bolivian Rams) would be very nice and pretty additions to a 20g tank. :idea:

*(Maybe a trio, if it were 1m+2f, and you provided good hiding places for the second female if she was picked on.)
 
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