need a cichlid for my tank, any suggestions?

[onetask]

I've set up this west African themed tank with an African butterfly fish and a school of 8 yellow tail Congo tetras. So I've got a top dweller covered and some mid-water action, but nothing's occupying the bottom. I'm thinking of adding a solo cichlid to liven things up down there.

Considering my tank's African river theme, I've narrowed it down to a few options. I've kept Kribensis before and they're lovely, easy to find too. Then there's the Pelvicachromis taeniatus, but I prefer normal Kribensis and they're harder to come by. I'm also considering the African butterfly cichlid, as I've never kept one before and they seem pretty chill. The Jewel cichlid is tempting, but I'm worried about aggression since I won't be keeping any other cichlids - do you think they'll become too aggressive? The lionhead cichlid isn't ideal due to my tank's low flow.

Other options, anyone? What do you think of my suggestions?

My tank's a 3ft, about 100 litres, with a lowered water level to prevent my butterfly fish from jumping. It's equipped with a Fluval 105 head pump on a 205, packed with bio media - the 205 head started leaking, hence the reduced flow, but there's plenty of media to make up for it.

[fruitblast]

I wouldn't recommend adding any African cichlid to a community tank, they're best kept with their own kind. If you want a peaceful cichlid, you could consider rams - they're nice, community-friendly and not typically aggressive. Not entirely sure if they're African, but they've got that look without the attitude.

I've had experience with butterfly fish, they're a blast. You can raise the water level to the top and just cover the openings to prevent jumping. During feeding, they can get a bit nippy, they're like little pigs and want all the food. But they can be hand-fed and are generally pretty peaceful.

Also, looking at your filter setup, I think the intake should be on the other side of the tank, not directly below the filter. That should increase the flow. And for the filter itself, if the letters aren't lined up when you clip the motor to the filter holder, it'll leak. Maybe play around with it and see if that fixes the issue. If the parts just don't fit due to different sizes, then I'm not sure what to suggest.

[creek7]

I think fruitblast's suggestion of rams won't work for this tank, as they're South American cichlids. The tank does look lovely though. I've always thought jewels were really nice, but kribensis are great too. Perhaps a pair of kribensis could be a good option, rather than just one?

[onetask]

Thanks for the response.

I don't suggest adding any african cichlid to a tropical tank other than strictly other african cichlids.



That's an interesting statement. What's behind this thinking? I've had good experiences with riverine cichlids in community tanks. You might want to check out this article - it's along the same lines as my setup: http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=5358.

you can get rams, very nice and even though i think it's in the cichlid family it is a community fish and isn't aggressive. not sure if it is african though..but you can have the look, without the aggression



I've kept rams before - they're south american, not african.

i've had butterfly fish in the past, very fun.. you can raise the water to the top and just cover the openings so that if the little guy wants to catch some air he wont jump out of the tank... during feeding they can nip because they are piggies and will want to eat all the food.. and you can hand feed them which is, besides that very peaceful.



My butterfly fish is pretty laid back, actually. It just hangs out in one spot all day, waiting for food. And even at feeding time, it's easily startled.

oh and by looking at the filer hoses... the intake should be on the other side of the tank, not vertical from the filter, the flow should increase... and for the filter, if the letters aren't lined up on it (were you clip the motor to the filter holder) then it will leak.. that could be the reason.. or hole in tub.... just play with it and it should be fixed. but if they don't fit together because they are different sizes then ... i dono



The flow's low because of the filter head, not the intake placement. And the 205 head was connected up correctly, but it just started leaking after a couple of months in storage.

But the tank looks lovely! Jewels are lovely. But so are Kribensis... Don't want a pair of the latter?



Yeah, I've kept Kribensis before - bred them, too. But I'm not looking to go down that road again. I'm really keen on jewels, though - just worried they might be a bit too aggressive. But maybe it's worth a try, given that link I posted earlier.

[onetask]

Another option for me could be Egypt mouth brooders, if I was so inclined.

[flinta]

Lovely setup you've got there, I particularly like the way the tall plants are adding some height to the tank - what are they, if you don't mind me asking?

[medic23]

I've had a look into Egyptkento4 mouth brooders before and was quite drawn to them, but I couldn't find any for sale. I'm a bit concerned about the Jewel cichlids, they do seem quite aggressive and I'm not convinced they can be kept in a community tank, I've always thought of them as a species-only fish.

[creek7]

I really like the idea of an Egyptkento4 mouthbrooder, seems like a great fit.

[onetask]

I'm leaning towards a mouth brooder now. They're a rare find in pet stores, I've never come across them in my 3-4 years of aquarium-keeping. It's a shame I'm not set up for breeding, as they'd make for a fascinating project. I'm not sure I'm ready to dive into breeding just yet, but a solo mouth brooder could be a great addition to my tank. The tall plants, by the way, are Banana lily's.

[ocean4]

I'm going to throw in another suggestion - Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi. To be honest, I think it's a bit sad to keep cichlids on their own, but I guess it can work. From what I've seen, a jewel cichlid will probably be alright solo, but just bear in mind they can get a bit crazy when they're in pairs - or so I've found.