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Cichlids suitable for a 30 gallon?

6K views 21 replies 5 participants last post by  GwenInNM 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey guys its been a while, hows it going?
Im dong a planted 30 g and want to know what cichlids i can add to my tank. so far im thinking
7-9 cardinal tetra
3 ottos
four male guppies
I was thinking 1 german blue ram and 1 keyhole cichlid. Are there any cichlids i could get instead or in addition to one of those? What do you guys think?
Thanks!
 
#14 ·
For best success/advice. I would first determine what type of water I had from the tap or water I would use for water changes.
The German Blue Ram(s) will need soft ,warm water around 80 degrees .(too warm for most of the corydoras with exception of Sterbai)
Keyhole would tolerate this temp and so would the cardinal tetra's .
Guppies you mention,would not be good fit for they need hard water, and will do poorly in soft acidic water over the long haul.
Best not to try and keep both soft water species and hard water species together.
Fish profiles here can help you decide what may work once you know what type of water you have .:cool:
 
#3 ·
Most of those are compatible for a 30g tank. The keyhole cichlid does require slightly lower temperatures than the rest.

Other than that though no problems.
 
#5 ·
The keyhole can be kept if you want but it may not do well with the other fish. It can be hit and miss.

Perhaps a smaller cichlid such as Apistogramma may be more suited.
 
#7 ·
No, frogs should not be kept with anything other than themselves as most will eat fish as food.
 
#19 ·

It would be smarter (IMO) to do a male/female pair of German Rams, and not another type of cichlid. Do some checking on the Apistogramma cichlid (I know, not spelled right:oops:) because I believe they require harder water, and a Ram more soft-acidic water.

Gwen
 
#11 ·
Again it would potentially be hit and miss as the rams once in breeding mode can get aggressive.
 
#13 ·
With the original list you posted in your first post, no the corys will be fine and you will not be overstocked. Not far from it though.
 
#18 ·
I dont really like the other tetras. I geuss ill get 11 cardnials and 1 ram. What else?
If the tank is newly established,, I would buy a baker's dozen (13) of the cardinal's, and assuming (alway's a bad thing), that the tank is fairly well planted,,I would let these tetra's settle for a few week's before considering adding any other fishes.
The ram(s) are sensitive, and I would be in no hurry to add this/these,, until tank was a few month's old.
This would give you time to research other fishes that interest you.
It's your tank, so fishes should be what YOU want, but care in choosing them will be difference between thriving community tank or,,fishes that appear sickly, frequently.:cool:
 
#20 ·
Apistogramma is spelled right :)
 
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#21 ·
You seem to have decided on only one cichlid spsecies which is wise. A 30g (presumably 30 inches in length) is not sufficient space for more than one species of cichlid.

One Keyhole (tough you may have decided no on this species?) with dither fish, or one Bolivian Ram with dither fish, or a pair of blue ram with dither fish; any one of these will work in a planted 30g. And dither fish means other fish like characins, that match the water parameters (including temperature) for the cichlid selected.

If you do get a pair of ram, understand that this fish must select its own mate, what we term a bonded pair. In the store tank it is easy to see bonded pairs. If the male/female have not bonded, they may or may not tolerate each other long-term. I have had a male kill the female even after spawning a couple of times, because I put them together rather than they having selected each other.

Byron.
 
#22 ·
If you do get a pair of ram, understand that this fish must select its own mate, what we term a bonded pair. In the store tank it is easy to see bonded pairs. If the male/female have not bonded, they may or may not tolerate each other long-term. I have had a male kill the female even after spawning a couple of times, because I put them together rather than they having selected each other.

Byron.[/quote]

I second this. I just lost my female Blue Ram. Dead when I got home yesterday. There was nothing wrong with her, eating everything normal. This is a pair that has spawn a number of times, but I decided I really don't want to mess with breeding and weeks ago, bumped my ph up slightly. I'm wondering now, if the male didn't kill her :-(

Because I got the female after the male, he did not pick her out. Rams are sure not easy to keep, but they are pretty!

Gwen
 
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