[Kevin Beard]

Greetings, Well my tank has cycled which means I am ready to stock. After watching various videos and reading numerous articles I am leaning 95% toward the Cichlids. I have a few questions that would love your answers.
1. Are there any other fish that would make good tank mates for Cichlids?
2. What kind of bottom feeder would you recommend? I am thinking of a pleco
3. Could I go with more than one of the bottom feeders?
One other question which has 0 to do w/ stocking. I placed 2 good size pc. of shell rock in the tank. Something then began to grow on one of them which looked like a sponge or such. I cleaned it off yesterday and today the water seems rather cloudy at 8:35pm Does anyone know what that was growing ? Should I do a water change to eliminate the cloudy h20?
Thank you, Kevin :lol:

 

[Tazman]

What size tank do you have and what are you water parameters (pH, hardness)? This will help in what would be suitable for your tank.

 

[belltold12]

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All depends on what cichlids you want too.

 

[SirReal303]

Yeah, what type of cichlids do you like and what type of water are you working with? Also, what size is the aquarium?

Many south/central American cichlids can become overly aggressive and intolerant of any other fish in their tanks. They can also become extremely large. My festae's are a perfect example of that and although they tolerated other fish while they were juvenile they've only become more and more aggressive with age/maturation. African's can work better for a mixed community and there's a limited number that become as big as many of the sa/ca cichlids. This isn't to say sa/ca cichlids can't also do well as community it's just a little more selective in the types you mix together.

Lots of variables here to consider, a little more info on what you have and what you're looking for will help with answers.

 

[Kevin Beard]

What size tank do you have and what are you water parameters (pH, hardness)? This will help in what would be suitable for your tank.

The ph has been consistent at 7.6

 

[Tazman]

pH is good for cichlids, but what is the tank size, this is very important.

Also can you provide whether or not you have hard or soft water, this can be done with a test at home or your utility supplier should have it listed on their website.