I need a 'Centerpiece'...

Micromax

What would you recomend? Someone told me a pair of gouramis would be fine but i got the impresion he just wanted to sell them.
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redchigh

Hmm. Gourami's like calmer tankmates.. Let me think on it for a second...

Maybe a dwarf cichlid... A ram perhaps?

Micromax

I always thought cichlids could be quite terratorial/agressive. I think i better change my fish supplier as he sounds like he doesnt know as much as i thought lol.

Thanks
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redchigh

A lot of normal hardwater cichlids are... but some of the dwarf cichlids are okay. Make sure to get the Bolivian Ram.. Not the german Blue Ram. Bolivian rams are much hardier, while germans like acidic water.

Discus- one of the most calm and placid fish in existance- is a cichlid species too. ;)

Micromax

Iv wanted to put cichlids in but due to being told by my pet shop not to iv steered clear. Do you have any pics of a Bolivian Ram? How many dwarfs could i keep going off what i said earlier?

Thanks.
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Byron

For pics, we have fish profiles here, second tab from the left in the blue bar across the top of the page; in posts if the name (scientific or common) is the same as in the profile, it will be shaded (example Bolivian Ram)and you can click on it to see that profile. One or more photos are included with each profile, plus all the info on needs, compatibility, minimum tank size, tankmates, water issues, group numbers, etc.

On the dwarfs, in a 60g which I will assume is 4 feet in length, you have some options. Bolivians could manage with 2 pairs, or a single pair, or just one fish as explained in the profile. Other dwarfs such as those in Apistogramma vary a bit, some do best as pairs, but many work as harems (one male, 2-3 females of a species), and 2 species are possible in 4 feet. Plenty of bogwood, rock, etc and plants to create "territories" that break up the line of sight is necessary. No mention is made of water parameters, and care has to be given to some of the Apisto as they are wild caught and require soft slightly acidic water. From your livebearers in the list i would assume you have basic hard water. Bolivians are fine (avoiding extreme hardness) and Apistogramma cacauoides as an example.

Many stores consider "cichlids" to be rift lake cichlids, and the South American dwarf species are quite different. However, a cichlid is still a cichlid, and males are territorial. Usually they don't bother other fish much, except when spawning--and with any cichlid, a pair will mean regular spawns, guaranteed.

I agree with those who recommended increasing some of hte danio and tetra species, minimum 6, preferably more, and you have space for 7-8 of each (the 10 neons is very good). And rainbows are also shoaling fish, needing a group for best health.

Byron.

Micromax

Thanks Byron.

I am certainly going to up my number of danios and tetras. If i didnt want them to spawn would i be able to keep two female cichlids?

Thanks again
Scott
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Byron

If you're thinking Apistogramma, I would not. Females of every species are much less colourful, and in fact females from several species are almost identical. And they can push each other around a lot too; my female is far more rough than the male, even aside from when they spawn and she is guarding eggs/fry. The males are the colourful fish. And spawning is not too much of a problem. My A. baenschi spawn regularly, sometimes the eggs get eaten, sometimes they hatch and the fry get eaten in a couple days. Two fry so far have survived from I don't know how many spawnings over the past several months. The interaction between fish is worth having a pair.

Micromax

Ok thanks. Is there any particullar species of cichlid that are a little mote 'calm' so to speak?

Thanks again
Scott
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Byron

Talking dwarfs from South America, most of the Apistogramma are much the same when it comes to behaviours. So too the "checkerboard" species, my personal favourites. And the Rams.