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Cichlid Tanks V Community Tanks?

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Offline Murf

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Cichlid tanks v Community tanks?
« on: September 26, 2012, 04:26:36 PM »
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Just on layout alone, what are your views on a typical Cichlid tank? I understand you have to mimic the environment/ecosystem that they come from but a tank with just rocks and maybe a few plants? As much as I love the look of Cichlids, the tanks look is foremost on my mind as an Aquarist.  I need my plants and greenery lol
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Offline SteveS

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Re: Cichlid tanks v Community tanks?
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2012, 05:22:01 PM »
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Not all cichlids require conditions that are hostile to plants or are hostile to plants themselves.  There are many that will live quite happily in a planted tank.  Not all cichlids are totally unsuitable for a community tank either.  Some of the species to look for from the fish profiles section of this site, which is fairly limited, would be Apistogramma in their various forms, Rams, especially Bolivian Rams, Kribs, Flag cichlids, and there my patience runs out.  I'm sure there are lots of others.

You would have to avoid the Rift Lake species for the most part, and I know Oscars take a dislike to plants as do some of the other large species.
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A Selection of Fish in my Fish Community Creator Tanks
Angelfish (1) - Panda Cory (10) - Harlequin Rasbora (10) - Otocinclus (10) - Japonica Shrimp (10) - Honey Gourami (10) - Galaxy Rasbora (10) -
Note: The user may not necessarily own these fish, these are tanks that they may be building or researching for stocking purposes

Offline DARRELL

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Re: Cichlid tanks v Community tanks?
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2012, 07:47:32 PM »
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apparently angelfish spend most of their time in the wild hanging around tall plants so that they can ambush their prey so they definately wont mind a planted tank
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Offline Murf

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Re: Cichlid tanks v Community tanks?
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2012, 03:38:28 PM »
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Quote from: SteveS on September 26, 2012, 05:22:01 PM
Not all cichlids require conditions that are hostile to plants or are hostile to plants themselves.  There are many that will live quite happily in a planted tank.  Not all cichlids are totally unsuitable for a community tank either.  Some of the species to look for from the fish profiles section of this site, which is fairly limited, would be Apistogramma in their various forms, Rams, especially Bolivian Rams, Kribs, Flag cichlids, and there my patience runs out.  I'm sure there are lots of others.

You would have to avoid the Rift Lake species for the most part, and I know Oscars take a dislike to plants as do some of the other large species.

I know that but I mean a true cichlid tank .... like a rift, malawi or tanganyiki tank
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Offline SteveS

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Re: Cichlid tanks v Community tanks?
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2012, 04:31:17 PM »
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As far as I am aware, the species I mentioned are just as "true" as the Central African ones from the areas you mention.  Similarly, tanks can look beautiful without plants.  They may not be your cup of tea, they aren't really mine either, but "to each his/her own."
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A Selection of Fish in my Fish Community Creator Tanks
Angelfish (1) - Panda Cory (10) - Harlequin Rasbora (10) - Otocinclus (10) - Japonica Shrimp (10) - Honey Gourami (10) - Galaxy Rasbora (10) -
Note: The user may not necessarily own these fish, these are tanks that they may be building or researching for stocking purposes

Offline Murf

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Re: Cichlid tanks v Community tanks?
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2012, 04:48:26 PM »
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Quote from: SteveS on September 27, 2012, 04:31:17 PM
As far as I am aware, the species I mentioned are just as "true" as the Central African ones from the areas you mention.  Similarly, tanks can look beautiful without plants.  They may not be your cup of tea, they aren't really mine either, but "to each his/her own."

I know people who keep only Cichlids and wouldn't class a dwarf cichlid such as a Kribensis as on the same level playing field as something such as a yellow lab.  The demand out there isn't the same for kribensis (I know only too well) fry as is for other species of cichlid .... hence what I mean by true cichlids, yes they are but if would read between the lines!
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Offline Sue

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Re: Cichlid tanks v Community tanks?
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2012, 05:11:57 PM »
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I think oscar owners would have something to say about only Rift Lake cichlids being true cichlids  ;D

Don't forget that Rift Lake cichlids need very hard alkaline water so unless your tapwater is like SteveS's you'd have to add chemicals to it at every water change.

Murf, what is your tapwater like, soft-acid or hard-alkaline, or something between? If you have soft-acid, south American cichlids are ideal. You can sell their fry as they aren't nearly as prolific as kribs. And most small etras, pencilfish, cories fit into the same ecosystem. And they are fine for planted tanks.

No idea about central American cichlids though, they get too big for my tanks  :)

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