I have some fishy questions =] About Dwarf Cichlids?

Question

Hey guys,

I am about to get a 50 gallon aquarium for my 14 th birthday.

I would like to get Dwarf Cichlids.

So my questions are:

Can I put Dwarf Cichlids in a tank of that size?

If so how many?

Which types get along with each other the best?

Can they be kept with other fish?

If so what types?

What types of fish cant they be kept with?

I would also like to get a sucker fish/algae eater for the tank, so can Dwarf Cichlids be kept with them?

What type of sucker fish should i get that is suitable for a 50 gallon tank?

Are Dwarf Cichlids available in Australia?

And in case anyone is wondering this is not my first tank. I have two other aquariums so i have some experience, and i know how to cycle the tank and everything.

Thanks everyone =]

Answer 1

Well, I can't speak to the availability of dwarf cichlids in Australia, but a 50 gallon tank is more than large enough to keep them. Some genera you might want to look into are the Apistogramma species (Apistos, cockatoo cichlids), Etroplus (chromides), Pelmatochromis (Kribensis, kribs), and the Microgeophagus (rams).

You can look up info on the different species on this link: http://www.timstropicals.com/Compatibility/NameResults.asp . You don't want to keep them with small delicate species, but any larger, active fish like barbs, rainbows, loaches, larger tetras, gourami, or giant danios should be okay.

If you want to maximize room for other fish, look at one of the smaller plecos. Bristlenose and rubberlips only get to about 5 inches. You can find info on these on this link: http://www.fishprofiles.com/profiles/list.aspx?category=1

Just don't expect suckers to do all your tank cleaning - they don't - no fish, snail, or shrimp will.

Just be sure to add some wood for the pleco and some plants to break up the lines of sight and provide some cover for the other fish, because if/when the cichlids lay eggs, they will chase the other fish out of their territory.

Answer 2

Sorry, but I'm not sure of availability of cichlids in Australia.
People say very different things about how many dwarf cichlids you can keep in your tanks. For a 55 gal, you can keep a harem group (same specie of cichlid, ranging from 3-5 members (2-3 females for 1 male.)
Dwarf cichlids are generally very peaceful and you can consider them community fishes. During breeding time, they get very nasty!
The Kribensis, for example, have been known to kill their OWN mate and other fishes. Kribs are african dwarf cichlids.
For sucker fishes, i really like the Oto catfish. They are very peaceful and don't bother anyone.

Answer 3

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